HOUSE BILL 561

49th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2009

INTRODUCED BY

Brian F. Egolf

AN ACT

RELATING TO HEALTH CARE; REQUIRING PARITY OF HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR CHIROPRACTIC SERVICES.

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

     Section 1. Section 59A-47-28 NMSA 1978 (being Laws 1984, Chapter 127, Section 879.26) is amended to read:

     "59A-47-28. COVERAGE FOR SERVICE OF [CHIROPRACTOR] CHIROPRACTIC PHYSICIAN.--

          A. All individual and group subscriber contracts delivered or issued for delivery in New Mexico [which] that, on a service basis or on an indemnity basis, or both, provide for treatment of persons for the prevention, cure or correction of any illness or physical or mental condition shall include coverage for the services of a [chiropractor] chiropractic physician. Deductibles, co-payments, coverage limits or other terms and conditions of coverage for the services of a chiropractic physician shall not differ substantially from coverage for the same or similar services provided by other practitioners. A chiropractic physician shall be reimbursed for all services within the chiropractic physician's scope of practice and coverage for chiropractic services shall not differ substantially from coverage for the same or similar services provided by other practitioners.

          B. Nothing in this section shall restrict a health care plan from including in the terms of its coverage any benefit differences based on differences in the scope of practice of health care practitioners."

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