2008-01-16                     Senate Journal                      Page 1584
SB 195                                                                                                                        
SENATE BILL NO. 195 BY SENATORS DAVIS, Ellis, entitled:                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act requiring health care insurers to provide coverage                                                                 
     for treatment of mental health, alcoholism, and substance                                                                  
     abuse conditions, and requiring parity between health care                                                                 
     insurance coverage for mental health, alcoholism, and                                                                      
     substance abuse benefits and other medical care benefits;                                                                  
     eliminating different treatment for mental health conditions                                                               
     from the minimum benefits of the state health insurance plan;                                                              
     removing an exclusion for mental health services or alcohol                                                                
     or drug abuse from the definition of basic health care services                                                            
     in the law relating to health maintenance organizations;                                                                   
     repealing a provision that allows optional insurance coverage                                                              
     for treatment of alcoholism and drug abuse based on the                                                                    
     number of employees and the duration of employment;                                                                        
     repealing a definition of costs applicable solely to treatment                                                             
     for alcoholism and drug abuse, including a provision that                                                                  
     allows the cost for treatment of alcoholism and drug abuse to                                                              
     be determined by the insurance contract or by a contract                                                                   
     between the treatment provider and the health care insurer;                                                                

2008-01-16                     Senate Journal                      Page 1585
        repealing a definition of mental health benefits that excludes                                                         
           treatment of substance abuse or chemical dependency; and                                                            
     providing for an effective date."                                                                                          
     (Prefile released January 4, 2008)                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
was read the first time and referred to the Health, Education and Social                                                        
Services, Labor and Commerce and Finance Committees.