Section 417-E:1 Coverage for Certain Biologically-Based Mental Illnesses.
I. For the purposes of this chapter ""mental illness'' means a clinically significant or psychological syndrome or pattern that occurs in a person and that is associated with present distress, a painful symptom or disability, impairment in one or more important areas of functioning, or with a significantly increased risk of suffering death, pain, disability, or an important loss of freedom.
II. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, each insurer that issues or renews any policy of group or blanket accident or health insurance and each nonprofit health service corporation under RSA 420-A and health maintenance organization under RSA 420-B providing benefits for disease or sickness in the state of New Hampshire shall provide benefits for treatment and diagnosis of certain biologically-based mental illnesses under the same terms and conditions and which are no less extensive than coverage provided for any other type of health care for physical illness.
III. The following mental illnesses, as defined in the most current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) of Mental Disorders published by the American Psychiatric Association, shall be covered under this section:
(a) Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.
(b) Schizoaffective disorder.
(c) Major depressive disorder.
(d) Bipolar disorder.
(e) Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.
(f) Obsessive-compulsive disorder.
(g) Panic disorder.
(h) Pervasive developmental disorder or autism.
(i) Chronic post-traumatic stress disorder.
IV. The benefits required under this section shall begin when benefits provided under RSA 415:18-a and RSA 420-B:8-b, as applicable are exhausted.
V. The commissioner may adopt rules, under RSA 541-A, as may be necessary to effectuate any provisions of the Mental Health Parity Act of 2008 that relate to the business of insurance.
Source. 1994, 298:1. 1997, 190:13, 14. 2002, 204:3, eff. Jan. 1, 2003. 2009, 235:8, eff. Sept. 14, 2009.