SB779 Summary

• Requires health benefit plans in Oklahoma (with 51+ employees) to cover alternative and complementary health care therapies, including homeopathic and naturopathic medicine, for policies issued on or after January 1, 2012.

• Defines homeopathic medicine as a healing system using physical, pharmacological, and therapeutic methods, and naturopathic medicine as natural health care employing natural therapies for health promotion and disease prevention.

• Exempts plans experiencing greater than 2% increase in premium costs from providing these benefits if they submit written request with actuarial justification to the Insurance Commissioner within 30 days.

• Grants the Insurance Commissioner authority to promulgate rules for implementation and investigate false statements, with penalties including license suspension or other sanctions for violations.

• Effective date: November 1, 2011.