Health Insurance - Access to Nonparticipating Providers - Referrals, Additional Assistance, and Coverage

Added specific reasonable access standards for mental health and substance use disorder services, requiring carriers to provide access within established waiting time and travel distance standards for these services.

Added a new requirement for carriers to provide additional assistance to members who cannot access mental health or substance use disorder services through standard referral procedures.

Modified prior authorization requirements to explicitly include scheduling appointments with nonparticipating specialists for mental health and substance use disorder services.

Updated the definition of when a referral is required to include specific language about mental health and substance use disorder care seeking.

Added committee report and Senate action dates indicating the bill was adopted with amendments on February 21, 2025.