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H0708...........................................................by BUSINESS
HEALTH INSURANCE - Amends existing law relating to health insurance to
require coverage for expenses for services related to morbid obesity.
02/16 House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/17 Rpt prt - to W/M
]]]] LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO ]]]]
Fifty-seventh Legislature Second Regular Session - 2004
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
HOUSE BILL NO. 708
BY BUSINESS COMMITTEE
1 AN ACT
2 RELATING TO INSURANCE; AMENDING CHAPTER 21, TITLE 41, IDAHO CODE, BY THE ADDI-
3 TION OF A NEW SECTION 41-2145, IDAHO CODE, TO REQUIRE COVERAGE FOR
4 EXPENSES FOR SERVICES RELATED TO MORBID OBESITY AND TO DEFINE "MORBID OBE-
5 SITY"; AMENDING CHAPTER 22, TITLE 41, IDAHO CODE, BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW
6 SECTION 41-2224, IDAHO CODE, TO REQUIRE COVERAGE FOR EXPENSES FOR SERVICES
7 RELATED TO MORBID OBESITY AND TO DEFINE "MORBID OBESITY"; AMENDING CHAPTER
8 34, TITLE 41, IDAHO CODE, BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION 41-3444, IDAHO
9 CODE, TO REQUIRE COVERAGE FOR EXPENSES FOR SERVICES RELATED TO MORBID OBE-
10 SITY AND TO DEFINE "MORBID OBESITY"; AND AMENDING CHAPTER 39, TITLE 41,
11 IDAHO CODE, BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION 41-3941, IDAHO CODE, TO
12 REQUIRE COVERAGE FOR EXPENSES FOR SERVICES RELATED TO MORBID OBESITY AND
13 TO DEFINE "MORBID OBESITY."
14 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
15 SECTION 1. That Chapter 21, Title 41, Idaho Code, be, and the same is
16 hereby amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and des-
17 ignated as Section 41-2145, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:
18 41-2145. COVERAGE FOR MORBID OBESITY. (1) From and after July 1, 2004,
19 all disability contracts which are delivered, issued for delivery, continued
20 or renewed in this state shall provide coverage for expenses arising from
21 weight reduction counseling services for any policyholder or contract holder
22 who suffers from morbid obesity.
23 (2) As used in this section, "morbid obesity" means:
24 (a) A weight of at least two (2) times the ideal weight for frame, age,
25 height and gender, as specified in the 1983 metropolitan life insurance
26 tables;
27 (b) A body mass index of at least thirty-five (35) kilograms per meter
28 squared, with comorbidity or coexisting medical conditions such as
29 hypertension, cardiopulmonary conditions, sleep apnea or diabetes; or
30 (c) A body mass index of at least forty (40) kilograms per meter squared
31 without comorbidity. For purposes of this section, body mass index is
32 equal to weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared.
33 (3) Nothing in this section shall apply to specified accident, specified
34 disease, hospital indemnity, medicare supplement, long-term care or other lim-
35 ited benefit health insurance policies.
36 SECTION 2. That Chapter 22, Title 41, Idaho Code, be, and the same is
37 hereby amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and des-
38 ignated as Section 41-2224, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:
39 41-2224. COVERAGE FOR MORBID OBESITY. (1) From and after July 1, 2004,
40 all group or blanket disability insurance policies which are delivered, issued
41 for delivery, continued or renewed in this state shall provide coverage for
2
1 expenses arising from weight reduction counseling services for any policy-
2 holder or contract holder who suffers from morbid obesity.
3 (2) As used in this section, "morbid obesity" means:
4 (a) A weight of at least two (2) times the ideal weight for frame, age,
5 height and gender, as specified in the 1983 metropolitan life insurance
6 tables;
7 (b) A body mass index of at least thirty-five (35) kilograms per meter
8 squared, with comorbidity or coexisting medical conditions such as
9 hypertension, cardiopulmonary conditions, sleep apnea or diabetes; or
10 (c) A body mass index of at least forty (40) kilograms per meter squared
11 without comorbidity. For purposes of this section, body mass index is
12 equal to weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared.
13 (3) Nothing in this section shall apply to specified accident, specified
14 disease, hospital indemnity, medicare supplement, long-term care or other lim-
15 ited benefit health insurance policies.
16 SECTION 3. That Chapter 34, Title 41, Idaho Code, be, and the same is
17 hereby amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and des-
18 ignated as Section 41-3444, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:
19 41-3444. COVERAGE FOR MORBID OBESITY. (1) From and after July 1, 2004,
20 all group subscribers' contracts which are delivered, issued for delivery,
21 continued or renewed in this state shall provide coverage for expenses arising
22 from weight reduction counseling services for any policyholder or contract
23 holder who suffers from morbid obesity.
24 (2) As used in this section, "morbid obesity" means:
25 (a) A weight of at least two (2) times the ideal weight for frame, age,
26 height and gender, as specified in the 1983 metropolitan life insurance
27 tables;
28 (b) A body mass index of at least thirty-five (35) kilograms per meter
29 squared, with comorbidity or coexisting medical conditions such as
30 hypertension, cardiopulmonary conditions, sleep apnea or diabetes; or
31 (c) A body mass index of at least forty (40) kilograms per meter squared
32 without comorbidity. For purposes of this section, body mass index is
33 equal to weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared.
34 (3) Nothing in this section shall apply to specified accident, specified
35 disease, hospital indemnity, medicare supplement, long-term care or other lim-
36 ited benefit health insurance policies.
37 SECTION 4. That Chapter 39, Title 41, Idaho Code, be, and the same is
38 hereby amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and des-
39 ignated as Section 41-3941, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:
40 41-3941. COVERAGE FOR MORBID OBESITY. (1) From and after July 1, 2004,
41 all policies, contracts, plans or certificates issued by an organization
42 offering a managed care plan which are delivered, issued for delivery, contin-
43 ued or renewed in this state shall provide coverage for expenses arising from
44 weight reduction counseling services for any policyholder or contract holder
45 who suffers from morbid obesity.
46 (2) As used in this section, "morbid obesity" means:
47 (a) A weight of at least two (2) times the ideal weight for frame, age,
48 height and gender, as specified in the 1983 metropolitan life insurance
49 tables;
50 (b) A body mass index of at least thirty-five (35) kilograms per meter
51 squared, with comorbidity or coexisting medical conditions such as
3
1 hypertension, cardiopulmonary conditions, sleep apnea or diabetes; or
2 (c) A body mass index of at least forty (40) kilograms per meter squared
3 without comorbidity. For purposes of this section, body mass index is
4 equal to weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared.
5 (3) Nothing in this section shall apply to specified accident, specified
6 disease, hospital indemnity, medicare supplement, long-term care or other lim-
7 ited benefit health insurance policies.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
RS 14034
This legislation requires insurance carriers to provide
coverage for expenses arising from weight reduction counseling
services. Currently, health care providers are not reimbursed for
managing obesity as a primary illness. They are reimbursed for the
negative consequences of obesity, including heart disease and Type
II Diabetes.
FISCAL IMPACT
Contact
Name: Representative Henbest
Phone: 332-1000
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE H 708