WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor

490J.

(A)  EVERY CONTRACT OR POLICY ISSUED OR DELIVERED IN THIS
STATE TO AN EMPLOYER OR INDIVIDUAL BY AN INSURER OR NONPROFIT
HEALTH SERVICE PLAN THAT PROVIDES COVERAGE ON A GROUP OR
INDIVIDUAL BASIS FOR ANY TREATMENT, DIAGNOSTIC, DIAGNOSTIC OR
SURGICAL PROCEDURE INVOLVING A BONE OR JOINT OF THE SKELETAL
STRUCTURE SHALL PROVIDE THE SAME COVERAGE FOR THE SAME TREATMENT,
DIAGNOSTIC, DIAGNOSTIC OR SURGICAL PROCEDURE, EXCLUDING INTRAORAL
PROSTHETIC DEVICES, INVOLVING A BONE OR JOINT OF THE FACE, NECK,
OR HEAD, PROVIDED THAT, IN THE JUDGMENT OF A LICENSEE OF THE SAME
PROFESSION AS THE PROVIDER RENDERING THE SERVICE, THE PROCEDURE
IS MEDICALLY NECESSARY TO TREAT A CONDITION CAUSED BY CONGENITAL
DEFORMITY, DISEASE, OR INJURY.

(B)  THIS SECTION MAY NOT BE CONSTRUED TO AFFECT ANY
COVERAGE REQUIRED UNDER THIS ARTICLE OR TO RESTRICT THE SCOPE OF
COVERAGE UNDER ANY POLICY OR CONTRACT ISSUED OR DELIVERED IN THIS
STATE TO AN EMPLOYER OR INDIVIDUAL BY AN INSURER OR NONPROFIT
HEALTH SERVICE PLAN.

(C)   ANY CONTRACT OR POLICY ISSUED OR DELIVERED IN THIS
STATE BY AN INSURER OR NONPROFIT HEALTH SERVICE PLAN THAT
PROVIDED COVERAGE ON APRIL 1, 1988, FOR ANY TREATMENT,
DIAGNOSTIC, OR SURGICAL PROCEDURE INVOLVING A ZONE OR JOINT OF
THE FACE, NECK, OR HEAD SHALL PROVIDE AT LEAST THE SAME COVERAGE
TO ALL SUCH POLICIES OR CONTRACTS ISSUED, RENEWED, MODIFIED,
ALTERED, AMENDED, OR REISSUED ON OR AFTER JULY 1, 1988.------------

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall
take effect July 1, 1988.

May 27, 1988

The Honorable R. Clayton Mitchell, Jr.
Speaker of the House of Delegates
State House
Annapolis, Maryland 21401

Dear Mr. Speaker:

In accordance with Article II, Section 17 of the Maryland
Constitution, I have today vetoed House Bill 1285.

House Bill 1285 provides that a party in a health claims
arbitration proceeding or his employee or partner may not be
certified as the party's expert under § 3-2A-04(b)(1) and (2) of
the Courts and Judicial Proceedings Article. 1/

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