HB 162 Summary

• Increases the age limit for dependent children on health insurance policies from 19 to 26 years old across individual, group, and HMO plans.

• Prohibits health insurers from establishing lifetime limits on benefits and restricts annual limits on essential health benefits, with limited exceptions for non-essential benefits.

• Eliminates preexisting condition exclusions for group health plans while allowing affiliation periods for HMOs, and removes restrictions on coverage for late enrollees and adopted children.

• Requires health insurers to guarantee availability of coverage in both group and individual markets during open and special enrollment periods, with limited exceptions for network capacity and financial constraints.

• Implements anti-discrimination provisions prohibiting insurers from denying coverage or establishing eligibility rules based on health status, medical conditions, claims experience, genetic information, or disability.