HB 1479 Summary

• Requires health insurance policies and managed care plans to provide coverage for intravenous feeding, prescription nutritional supplements, and hospital patient assessments.

• Mandates that all hospitals licensed under the Hospital Licensing Act comply with the Hospital Emergency Service Act and federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act requirements.

• Establishes standardized health insurance application forms and medical underwriting procedures, with prohibitions on using HIV tests as conditions for coverage.

• Restricts health plans from rescinding or canceling individual coverage based on material misrepresentations only when intentional fraud is proven and requires independent review of cancellation decisions.

• Requires hospitals to inform patients of their inpatient/outpatient status and establishes procedures for patients to file discrimination grievances based on race, color, or national origin.