OLR Bill Analysis

sHB 6540 (as amended by House “A”)*

AN ACT CONCERNING PRESCRIPTION EYE DROP REFILLS.

SUMMARY:

This bill prohibits certain health insurance policies that provide prescription eye drop coverage from denying coverage for prescription renewals when (1) the refill is requested by the insured less than 30 days from either (a) the date the original prescription was given to the insured or (b) the last date the prescription refill was given to the insured, whichever is later, and (2) the prescribing physician indicates on the original prescription that additional quantities are needed and the refill requested by the insured does not exceed this amount.

The bill applies only to individual and group health insurance policies that cover (1) basic hospital expenses; (2) basic medical-surgical expenses; (3) major medical expenses; and (4) hospital or medical services that are delivered, issued, renewed, amended, or continued in the state on or after January 1, 2010.

*House Amendment “A” (1) removes the definition of “health insurance policy” in the original bill so that the bill no longer applies to an individual policy or benefit plan that provides medical benefits to Medicaid, HUSKY Plan, Charter Oak Health Plan, ConnPACE, or state-administered general assistance recipients; and (2) makes technical changes.

EFFECTIVE DATE: January 1, 2010

COMMITTEE ACTION

Select Committee on Aging

Joint Favorable Change of Reference

Public Health Committee

Joint Favorable Substitute

Human Services Committee

Joint Favorable

Appropriations Committee

Joint Favorable