GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
1989 SESSION

CHAPTER 175
HOUSE BILL 1092

AN ACT TO INCREASE THE MINIMUM COVERAGE FOR CHEMICAL DEPENDENCY TREATMENT BENEFITS IN POLICIES OF INSURANCE AND HOSPITAL SERVICE AND MEDICAL SERVICE PLANS.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

Section 1.  G.S. 58-251.8(c) reads as rewritten:
"(c)	Every group policy or group contract of insurance that provides benefits for chemical dependency treatment and that provides total annual benefits for all illnesses in excess of eight thousand dollars ($8,000) is subject to the following conditions:
(1)	The policy or contract shall provide, for each 12-month period, a minimum benefit of eight thousand dollars ($8,000) for the necessary care and treatment of chemical dependency.
(2)	
	The policy or contract shall provide a minimum benefit of sixteen thousand dollars ($16,000) for the necessary care and treatment of chemical dependency for the life of the policy or contract."
Sec. 2.  G.S. 57-7.3(c) reads as rewritten:
"(c)	Every group insurance certificate or group subscriber contract  that provides benefits for chemical dependency treatment and that provides total annual benefits for all illnesses in excess of eight thousand dollars ($8,000) is subject to the following conditions:
(1)	The certificate or contract shall provide, for each 12-month period, a minimum benefit of eight thousand dollars ($8,000) for the necessary care and treatment of chemical dependency.
(2)	
	The certificate or contract shall provide a minimum benefit of sixteen thousand dollars ($16,000) for the necessary care and treatment of chemical dependency for the life of the certificate or contract."
Sec. 3.  G.S. 57B-12.1(c) reads as rewritten:
"(c)	Every group health care plan that provides benefits for chemical dependency treatment and that provides total annual benefits for all illnesses in excess of eight thousand dollars ($8,000) is subject to the following conditions:
(1)	The plan shall provide, for each 12-month period, a minimum benefit of eight thousand dollars ($8,000) for the necessary care and treatment of chemical dependency.
(2)	
	The plan shall provide a lifetime minimum benefit of sixteen thousand dollars ($16,000) for the necessary care and treatment of chemical dependency for each enrollee."
Sec. 4.  This act shall become effective on January 1, 1990, and shall apply to General Statute Chapter 57, 57B, and 58 policies or coverages issued or renewed on and after that date.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 31st day of May, 1989.