H.B. 249 Summary

• Requires individual and group health insurance policies, hospital/medical service plans, and health maintenance organizations to provide comprehensive coverage for sexual and reproductive health care services without cost-sharing (copayments, coinsurance, or deductibles).

• Mandates coverage for fourteen categories of preventive services including well-woman visits, contraceptive supplies, abortion, breastfeeding support, STI screening and counseling, and sterilization procedures, with exceptions only for experimental treatments or those lacking efficacy data.

• Prohibits insurers from imposing restrictions, delays, or prior authorization requirements on covered reproductive health services and requires providers to be reimbursed without deductions for cost-sharing amounts.

• Establishes nondiscrimination protections in reproductive health care coverage based on race, color, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, or disability, with violations enforceable under chapter 489.

• Takes effect January 1, 2022, and applies to all health insurance plans issued or renewed on or after that date; requires insurance commissioner to submit compliance report to legislature by 2022 session.