MS HB233

Prohibits health carriers and insurance professionals from denying, canceling, or restricting health insurance coverage based on an applicant's or insured's abuse status, effective July 1, 2010.

Requires health carriers to keep confidential any information about abuse status or abuse-related medical conditions, with limited exceptions for treatment providers, legal proceedings, and necessary business transfers.

Mandates that health carriers justify in writing any adverse insurance decisions based on abuse-related medical conditions and demonstrate the action is not based on abuse status as an underwriting criterion.

Requires all health insurance policies to provide covered benefits for diagnosis and treatment of abuse-related medical conditions (except limited benefit plans), subject to standard deductibles and utilization review.

Prohibits abuse-related medical conditions from being classified as preexisting conditions under health insurance policies and establishes enforcement authority with the Mississippi Commissioner of Insurance.