46th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2003

RELATING TO INSURANCE; REQUIRING HEALTH CARE COVERAGE TO COVER UNMARRIED DEPENDENTS UNTIL THEIR TWENTY-SIXTH BIRTHDAY.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

Section 1. Section 13-7-1 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1997, Chapter 74, Section 1) is amended to read:

"13-7-1. SHORT TITLE.--[Sections 1 through 4 of this act] Chapter 13, Article 7 NMSA 1978 may be cited as the "Health Care Purchasing Act"."

Section 2. A new section of the Health Care Purchasing Act is enacted to read:

"[NEW MATERIAL] Health care coverage, including any form of self-insurance, offered, issued or renewed pursuant to the Health Care Purchasing Act on or after July 1, 2003 that offers coverage of an insured's dependent shall not terminate coverage of an unmarried dependent by reason of the dependent's age before the dependent's twenty-sixth birthday."

Section 3. A new section of Chapter 59A, Article 22 NMSA 1978 is enacted to read:

"[NEW MATERIAL] A policy of individual health insurance delivered, issued for delivery or renewed in New Mexico on or after July 1, 2003 that provides coverage for an insured's dependent shall not terminate coverage of an unmarried dependent by reason of the dependent's age before the dependent's twenty-sixth birthday."

Section 4. A new section of Chapter 59A, Article 23 NMSA 1978 is enacted to read:

"[NEW MATERIAL] A blanket or group health insurance policy or certificate of insurance delivered, issued for delivery or renewed in New Mexico on or after July 1, 2003 that provides coverage for an insured's dependent shall not terminate coverage of an unmarried dependent by reason of the dependent's age before the dependent's twenty-sixth birthday."

Section 5. A new section of the Health Maintenance Organization Law is enacted to read:

"[NEW MATERIAL] An individual or group health maintenance organization contract delivered or issued for delivery in New Mexico on or after July 1, 2003 that provides coverage for an enrollee's dependents shall not terminate coverage of an unmarried dependent by reason of the dependent's age before the dependent's twenty-sixth birthday."

Section 6. A new section of the Nonprofit Health Care Plan Law is enacted to read:

"[NEW MATERIAL] An individual or group subscriber contract offered, issued or renewed in New Mexico on or after July 1, 2003 that provides coverage of a subscriber's dependents shall not terminate coverage of an unmarried dependent by reason of the dependent's age before the dependent's twenty-sixth birthday."