07 LC 33
1852
House
Bill 423
By:
Representatives Gardner of the
57th,
Buckner of the
130th,
Oliver of the
83rd,
Wilkinson of the
52nd,
Lindsey of the
54th,
and others
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Code Section 31-5A-4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to the powers, duties, functions, and responsibilities of the Department of
Community Health, so as to require mental health care coverage in any health
benefits for members, employees, and retirees of the Board of Regents through
the Department of Community Health; to amend Code Section 45-18-2 of the
Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the authority of the Board of
Community Health to establish a state employees´ health insurance plan, so
as to require mental health care coverage; to provide for related matters; to
repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Code
Section 31-5A-4 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the
powers, duties, functions, and responsibilities of the Department of Community
Health, is amended by revising subsection (e) as follows:
"(e)
The board of regents is authorized to contract with the department for health
benefits for members, employees, and retirees of the board of regents and the
dependents of such members, employees, and retirees and for the administration
of such health benefits. The department is also authorized to contract with the
board of regents for such purposes.
Any health
insurance benefits provided pursuant to this subsection shall include coverage
for mental disorders as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders, as in effect on July 1, 2007, on the same basis as physical
illnesses and shall provide comparable benefit levels for medications and
services for the treatment of such mental
disorders."
SECTION
2.
Code
Section 45-18-2 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the
authority of the Board of Community Health to establish a state employees´
health insurance plan, is amended by revising subsection (a) as
follows:
"(a)
The board is authorized to establish a health insurance plan for employees of
the state and to adopt and promulgate rules and regulations for its
administration, subject to the limitations contained in this article. The
health insurance plan
may
shall
provide for group hospitalization and surgical and medical insurance against the
financial costs of hospitalization, surgery, and medical treatment and care and
may also include, among other things, prescribed drugs, medicines, prosthetic
appliances, hospital inpatient and outpatient service benefits, dental benefits,
vision care benefits, and medical expense indemnity benefits, including major
medical benefits.
The health
insurance plan established pursuant to this subsection shall include coverage
for mental disorders as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders, as in effect on July 1, 2007, on the same basis as physical
illnesses and shall provide comparable benefit levels for medications and
services for the treatment of such mental
disorders."
SECTION
3.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.