GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 1989

H	1 

HOUSE BILL 1187

Short Title:  Infertility-Health Ins. Coverage.	(Public)
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Sponsors: Representatives Payne; S. Thompson and Miller.
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Referred to:  Commerce.
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April 12, 1989

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO PROVIDE THAT HEALTH INSURANCE POLICIES THAT COVER PREGNANCY SHALL COVER INFERTILITY TO THE SAME EXTENT.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
Section 1.  Chapter 58 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new section to read:
"§ 58-251.9. Coverage for infertility.
Every policy of insurance and every hospital service or medical service plan as defined in Chapter 57 of the General Statutes and every Health Maintenance Organization as defined in Chapter 57B of the General Statutes (regardless of whether any of the policies or plans shall be defined as individual, family, group, blanket, franchise, industrial, or otherwise) that is issued, renewed, or amended on or after January 1, 1990, which provides hospital expense or surgical expense insurance which includes pregnancy-related benefits shall provide, to the same extent that benefits are provided for other pregnancy-related procedures, coverage for medically necessary expenses of diagnosis and treatment of infertility.  For purposes of this section, ‘infertility' means the condition of the presumably healthy individual who is unable to conceive or produce conception during a period of one year."
Sec. 2.  This act is effective upon ratification.