DELAWARE STATE SENATE

152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE BILL NO. 31

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 18 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO PRIMARY CARE COVERAGE.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Section 1. Amend § 3556A, Title 18 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 3556A. Primary care coverage.

(f) Coverage for chronic care management must not be subject to patient deductibles, copayments, or fees.

Section 2. This Act applies to all policies, contracts, or certificates issued, renewed, modified, altered, amended, or reissued after December 31, 2023.

SYNOPSIS

This Act corrects a technical error in SB 227 (149th General Assembly) by establishing requirements for group and blanket health insurance plans that align with existing requirements for individual and State employee health insurance plans. As introduced, SB 227 specified that coverage for chronic care management under all 3 of these health insurance plan types cannot be subject to patient deductibles, copayments, or fees. Senate Amendment 1 to SB 227 made various intentional changes to SB 227 but also accidentally deleted the line that applied this chronic care management requirement to group and blanket plans. SB 227, as amended, passed both chambers unanimously. As a result, since January 1, 2019, there has been an unintentional difference in the requirements between the plan types. This Act corrects that divergence.

This Act applies to policies, contracts, or certificates issued, renewed, modified, altered, amended, or reissued after December 31, 2023.

Author: Senator Townsend