SB 244: Revise laws related to health insurance coverage of behavioral health screening - Montana

SB0244GovVeto.pdf → SB0244_X(4).pdf · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill text was converted from a Governor's veto letter into an official legislative act. The core policy content regarding mandatory behavioral health screening coverage was added, while the original letter format and specific funding arguments were removed.

Scope change

The document scope changed from a persuasive letter addressed to the Governor to a formal bill text containing new legal requirements for insurance contracts.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new Section 1 requiring insurance policies to cover behavioral health screenings and assessments at no out-of-pocket cost to the insured, provided the insured is informed the screening is optional.

Added a federal tax compliance exception to the new screening requirement, limiting it for Health Savings Accounts unless the deductible is met or the service is preventive care.

FISCAL

Removed the Governor's letter text which argued that the bill would deplete state reserves and requested a veto due to lack of appropriated funding.

TECHNICAL

Changed the document structure from a dated letter with a signature block to a standard enacted bill format with section numbers and statutory language.

SB0244_X(3).pdf → SB0244GovVeto.pdf · 3 edits

MINOR

The original bill text requiring mandatory behavioral health screening coverage was removed and replaced with a formal veto message from Governor Greg Gianforte. This change signifies that the Governor rejected the legislation, preventing the new screening requirements from becoming law and avoiding the associated state funding costs.

Scope change

The bill's scope changed from a proposed mandate for insurance coverage to a nullified legislative proposal due to a gubernatorial veto.

REQUIREMENT

All text mandating that insurance plans cover behavioral health screenings at no cost to the insured was deleted.

ENFORCEMENT

A formal veto letter was added, explaining that the Governor rejected the bill due to unfunded costs and potential negative impacts on state employee benefits.

TIMELINE

The effective date for the new coverage requirements was eliminated because the bill was vetoed.

SB0244_3(10).pdf → SB0244_X.pdf · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was renumbered from SB 244.3 to SB 244 and updated to reflect its final 'Enrolled' status. The core policy text regarding behavioral health screening coverage was cleaned up to remove all-caps formatting and minor typos, clarifying that screenings are optional for the insured. A new provision was added to Section 2 to allow state legislators and judges to remain in their group health plans after leaving office, provided they meet specific criteria.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to explicitly include state legislators and judges in the group health plan continuation provisions, whereas the previous version did not clearly define these specific roles.

TECHNICAL

The bill number was changed from SB 0244.3 to SB 244, and the header was updated to indicate this is the final 'Enrolled Bill' version.

REQUIREMENT

Formatting errors in the behavioral health section were corrected, removing all-caps text and clarifying that the screening is optional for the insured.

ELIGIBILITY

New language was added to Section 2 to allow state legislators and judges to continue their group health plan coverage after leaving office, subject to specific conditions.

SB0244_3(3).pdf → SB0244_3(4).pdf · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill amends the state's mandatory group health insurance provisions to clarify how Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) apply to plans with high deductibles, specifically ensuring preventive care coverage is not restricted by deductible satisfaction. It also expands eligibility for continued group coverage to include spouses of retiring members, converts policies for retiring spouses, and allows continued membership for individuals eligible for Medicare under specific state legislative and judicial retirement contexts.

Scope change

The scope of mandatory group health provisions was expanded to include specific rules for retirees and their spouses, and clarified the application of federal tax laws regarding HSAs within the state plan.

ELIGIBILITY

Clarified that HSA requirements for preventive care apply regardless of whether the plan's minimum deductible has been satisfied.

Granted the spouse of a retired member the same rights as a surviving spouse to remain in the group plan.

Permitted continued group membership for anyone eligible under the section, even if they are eligible for Medicare.

Extended group plan continuation rights to state legislators and judges who leave office but remain vested in their respective retirement systems.

ADDED

Allowed the spouse of a retiring member to convert a group policy under specific conditions.

SB0244_2(15).pdf → SB0244_3.pdf · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was renumbered from SB 244.2 to SB 244.3. The most significant substantive change is the addition of a requirement that insurers must inform individuals that behavioral health screenings are optional and allow them to opt out, whereas the previous version mandated coverage without explicitly mentioning an opt-out mechanism. The text of the main insurance provisions (Sections 2-18-704, 33-31-111, and 33-35-306) appears to be identical in both versions, with the differences in the diff likely resulting from formatting or line-wrap adjustments rather than policy changes.

Scope change

The scope of the bill remains focused on mandatory provisions for state employee group benefit plans, specifically regarding behavioral health screening coverage and legislative/judicial retirement plan continuity.

REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement that insurers must inform insureds that behavioral health screenings are optional and provide an opportunity to opt out, changing the previous text which did not explicitly mention an opt-out option.

TECHNICAL

The bill number was updated from SB0244.2 to SB0244.3, indicating a revision or renumbering of the legislation.

The text of the main insurance provisions (Sections 2-18-704, 33-31-111, and 33-35-306) shows line-break and formatting differences, but the substantive policy language regarding coverage for legislators and judges appears unchanged.

SB0244_1(5).pdf → SB0244_2.pdf · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was renumbered from SB 244 to SB 244.2 and updated its title to include 'Health Maintenance Organizations' and a new MCA section (33-31-111). The core policy change adds a federal exception allowing health savings accounts (HSAs) to exclude behavioral health screening coverage if the plan has a high deductible, while the rest of the bill's mandatory coverage requirements for disability and state employee plans remain largely unchanged.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to explicitly include Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) in the list of entities required to provide behavioral health screening coverage.

REQUIREMENT

Added a specific exception for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), allowing them to exclude behavioral health screening coverage if the plan meets federal high-deductible requirements, whereas previously the requirement applied broadly.

SCOPE

Expanded the list of required coverage entities to explicitly include Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) alongside disability insurance and self-funded plans.

TECHNICAL

Updated the bill number from SB 244 to SB 244.2 and amended the list of affected MCA sections to include 33-31-111.

LC4030.pdf → SB0244_1.pdf · 2 edits

MINOR

The bill text was renumbered and rebranded from a House bill (LC 4030) to a Senate bill (SB 244.1). A new provision was added requiring health plans to allow members to obtain prescription drugs from any pharmacy willing to match the group's price, including mail-order pharmacies, provided they meet the same professional requirements.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on health insurance coverage requirements, but the applicability of the pharmacy price-matching rule was expanded to explicitly include mail-order pharmacies under the same conditions as physical pharmacies.

TECHNICAL

The bill number and title were changed from LC 4030 to SB 244.1, indicating a shift from the House to the Senate.

REQUIREMENT

A new requirement was inserted mandating that health plans permit members to use mail-order pharmacies for price-matching, ensuring these pharmacies meet the same professional standards as physical pharmacies.

Revise laws related to health insurance coverage of behavioral health screening

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