PARRIS N. GLENDENING, Governor

Ch. 357

CHAPTER 357
(House Bill 1040)

AN ACT concerning

Health Insurance - Mandated Coverage - Prostate Cancer

FOR the purpose of requiring certain health insurers to provide coverage to men of a
certain age for certain medically recognized diagnostic tests used to detect prostate
cancer under certain circumstances.

BY adding to

Article - Insurance

Section 15-822

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1995 Volume and 1996 Supplement)

(As enacted by Chapter _ (H.B. 11) of the Acts of the General Assembly of 1997)

BY adding to

Article - Health - General

Section 19-706(n)

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1996 Replacement Volume and 1996 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - Insurance

15-822.

(A) THIS SECTION APPLIES TO:

(1) INSURERS AND NONPROFIT HEALTH SERVICE PLANS THAT PROVIDE
INPATIENT HOSPITAL, MEDICAL, OR SURGICAL BENEFITS TO INDIVIDUALS OR
GROUPS ON AN EXPENSE-INCURRED BASIS UNDER HEALTH INSURANCE POLICIES
OR CONTRACTS THAT ARE ISSUED OR DELIVERED IN THE STATE; AND

(2) HEALTH MAINTENANCE ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE
INPATIENT HOSPITAL, MEDICAL, OR SURGICAL BENEFITS TO INDIVIDUALS OR
GROUPS UNDER CONTRACTS THAT ARE ISSUED OR DELIVERED IN THE STATE

(B) AN ENTITY SUBJECT TO THIS SECTION SHALL PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR
EXPENSES INCURRED IN CONDUCTING AN ANNUAL MEDICALLY RECOGNIZED
DIAGNOSTIC EXAMINATION, WHICH INCLUDES A DIGITAL RECTAL EXAMINATION
AND A BLOOD TEST CALLED THE PROSTATE-SPECIFIC ANTIGEN (PSA) TEST, ON
ENROLLEES AND INSUREDS WHO ARE:

(1) MEN AGE 50 OR OLDER AND ASYMPTOMATIC AND

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