0001|                            HOUSE BILL 315
    |
0002|     43RD LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - SECOND SESSION, 1998
    |
0003|                            INTRODUCED BY
    |
0004|                          EDWARD C. SANDOVAL
    |
0005|     
    |
0006|                                   
    |
0007|     
    |
0008|             FOR THE HEALTH AND WELFARE REFORM COMMITTEE
    |
0009|     
    |
0010|                                AN ACT
    |
0011|     RELATING TO INSURANCE; CREATING A MENTAL HEALTH INSURANCE
    |
0012|     PARITY PILOT PROGRAM FOR STATE EMPLOYEES; MAKING AN
    |
0013|     APPROPRIATION.
    |
0014|     
    |
0015|     BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:
    |
0016|          Section 1.  MENTAL HEALTH INSURANCE PARITY--PILOT
    |
0017|     PROGRAM.--The risk management division of the general services
    |
0018|     department shall implement and maintain for fiscal years 1999
    |
0019|     and 2000 a mental health insurance parity pilot program
    |
0020|     providing behavioral health coverage for state employees.  The
    |
0021|     pilot program shall ensure that an insured with a severe,
    |
0022|     persistent, biologically based mental illness receives
    |
0023|     appropriate quality and quantity of treatment on a parity with
    |
0024|     an insured with any other physical illness with respect to the
    |
0025|     terms, conditions, rates, benefits or requirements of the
    |
<center>- 1 -</center>

0001|     insurance contract.  For purposes of this coverage, "severe,
    |
0002|     persistent, biologically based mental illness" means
    |
0003|     schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, bipolar disorder,
    |
0004|     major depressive disorder, panic disorder or obsessive-
    |
0005|     compulsive disorder as defined in the leading international
    |
0006|     manuals on classification of diseases and diagnostic
    |
0007|     statistics.
    |
0008|          Section 2.  PROVIDER REIMBURSEMENT.--If the contracts or
    |
0009|     contract amendments establishing the mental health insurance
    |
0010|     parity pilot program authorized in Section 1 of this act are
    |
0011|     terminated prior to the end of fiscal year 2000, the general
    |
0012|     services department shall reimburse the insurance provider any
    |
0013|     extraordinary expenses incurred in providing benefits under
    |
0014|     the pilot program.  The terms and limitations of this
    |
0015|     reimbursement shall be stated in the contracts or contract
    |
0016|     amendments.
    |
0017|          Section 3.  APPROPRIATION.--One hundred fifty thousand
    |
0018|     dollars ($150,000) is appropriated from the general fund to
    |
0019|     the risk management division of the general services
    |
0020|     department for expenditure in fiscal year 1999 for the purpose
    |
0021|     of administering a mental health insurance parity pilot
    |
0022|     program.  Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at
    |
0023|     the end of fiscal year 1999 shall revert to the general fund.
    |
0024|                                       
    |