Substitute Bill No. 317 Summary

• Requires all individual and group health insurance policies in Connecticut to cover surgical procedures treating severe obesity, effective January 1, 2020.

• Defines severe obesity as a body mass index greater than 40, or 35 or more for individuals with comorbid conditions including cardiopulmonary disease, diabetes, hypertension, or sleep apnea.

• Mandates coverage for bariatric surgeries including gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, and duodenal switch that are recognized by the National Institutes of Health and American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery as providing long-term weight loss.

• Required procedures must be consistent with guidelines issued by the National Institutes of Health.

• Covered benefits are subject to the same terms and conditions as all other benefits under the applicable insurance policy.