By Mr. Tarr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate,
No. 635) of Bruce E. Tarr and Richard R. Tisei for
legislation to maintain health coverage for the seriously
ill. Financial Services. |
By Mr. Tarr, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate,
No. 635) of Bruce E. Tarr and Richard R. Tisei for
legislation to maintain health coverage for the seriously
ill. Financial Services. |
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 4 of Chapter 176G of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting at the end the following additional new paragraph:
“If the health maintenance contract includes coverage for dependent children who are full-time students, as defined by the appropriate educational institution, beyond the age of 18, such dependent coverage shall include coverage for a dependent’s medically necessary leave of absence from school for a period not to exceed 12 months or the date on which coverage would otherwise end pursuant to the terms and conditions of the policy, whichever comes first. Any breaks in the school semester shall not disqualify the dependent child from coverage under this subparagraph. Documentation and certification of the medical necessity of a leave of absence shall be submitted to the insurer by the student’s attending physician and shall be considered prima facie evidence of entitlement to coverage under this subparagraph. The date of the documentation and certification of the medical necessity of a leave of absence shall be the date the insurance coverage under this subparagraph commences.
Section 2. Subsection (f) of Section 9 of Chapter 176J of the General Laws is hereby amended by including after section (vi) the following new subsection:
“(vii) a dependent child who is a full-time student, as defined by the appropriate educational institution, beyond the age of 18, who takes a medically necessary leave of absence from school for a period not to exceed 12 months or the date on which coverage would otherwise end pursuant to the terms and conditions of the policy, whichever comes first. Any breaks in the school semester shall not disqualify the dependent child from coverage under this subparagraph. Documentation and certification of the medical necessity of a leave of absence shall be submitted to the insurer by the student’s attending physician and shall be considered prima facie evidence of entitlement to coverage under this subparagraph. The date of the documentation and certification of the medical necessity of a leave of absence shall be the date the insurance coverage under this subparagraph commences.”
