S493 - Health and Safety Regulatory Reform

• Requires health insurance plans to cover autism spectrum disorder screening, diagnosis, and treatment for individuals under 23 years old, including behavioral health treatment, psychiatric care, pharmacy care, and therapeutic services, with a maximum annual benefit of $36,000 for behavioral health treatment.

• Establishes the North Carolina Behavior Analyst Board to license behavior analysts and assistant behavior analysts, with requirements for Board Certified credentials and supervision standards, effective January 1, 2015.

• Regulates pharmacy benefits managers by requiring maximum allowable cost price lists to be reviewed and updated at least once every seven business days with electronic access for pharmacies within one business day of changes.

• Expands limited food service establishment permits to include lodging facilities serving only reheated pre-cooked food and prohibits tanning facility operators from allowing persons under 18 years of age to use tanning equipment, effective October 1, 2014.

• Requires coverage for orally administered anticancer drugs on terms no less favorable than intravenously administered drugs, with maximum $100 per prescription cost-sharing limits, effective January 1, 2015.