§ 58-65-65. Coverage for active medical treatment in tax-supported institutions.
§58‑65‑65. Coverage for active medical treatment in tax‑supportedinstitutions.
(a) No hospital ormedical or dental service plan, contract or certificate governed by theprovisions of this Article and Article 66 of this Chapter shall be delivered,issued, executed or renewed in this State, or approved for issuance or renewalin this State by the Commissioner of Insurance, after May 21, 1975, unless suchplan, contract or certificate provides for the payment of benefits for chargesmade for medical care rendered in or by duly licensed state tax‑supportedinstitutions, including charges for medical care of cerebral palsy, otherorthopedic and crippling disabilities, mental and nervous diseases anddisorders, mental retardation, alcoholism and drug or chemical dependency, andrespiratory illness, on a basis no less favorable than the basis which wouldapply had the medical care been rendered in or by any other public or privateinstitution or provider. The term "state tax‑supportedinstitutions" shall include community mental health centers and otherhealth clinics which are certified as Medicaid providers.
(b) No plan, contract,or certificate shall exclude payment for charges of a duly licensed state tax‑supportedinstitution because of its being a specialty facility for one particular typeof illness nor because it does not have an operating room and related equipmentfor the performance of surgery, but it is not required that benefits be payablefor domiciliary or custodial care, rehabilitation, training, schooling, oroccupational therapy.
(c) The restrictionsand requirements of this section shall not apply to any plan, contract, orcertificate which is individually underwritten or provided for a specificindividual and the members of his family as a nongroup policy, but shall applyonly to those hospital service and medical service subscriber plans, contracts,or certificates delivered, issued for delivery, reissued or renewed in thisState on and after July 1, 1975. (1975, c. 345, s. 2.)