CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.





                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                 Bill No. CS for SB 1598, 1st Eng.

    Amendment No.     (for drafter's use only)

                            CHAMBER ACTION
              Senate                               House
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 5                                           ORIGINAL STAMP BELOW

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10                                                                

11  Representative(s) Bloom, Wasserman Schultz, and Effman offered

12  the following:

13

14         Amendment (with title amendment) 

15         On page 7, between lines 17 and 18, of the bill

16

17  insert:

18         Section 2.  Legislative findings and intent.--

19         (1)  The Legislature finds that:

20         (a)  Each year, more than half of all pregnancies in

21  this state are unintended.

22         (b)  Contraceptive services are part of basic health

23  care, allowing families to both adequately space desired

24  pregnancies and avoid unintended pregnancy.

25         (c)  Contraceptives are highly cost-effective, yielding

26  from $4 to $14 dollars in savings for every dollar expended.

27         (d)  By reducing rates of unintended pregnancy,

28  contraceptives help reduce the need for abortions.

29         (e)  Unintended pregnancies lead to higher rates of

30  infant mortality, low birth weight, and maternal morbidity and

31  threaten the economic viability of families.

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    File original & 9 copies    04/30/99
    hbd0005                     08:08 am         01598-0106-681613




                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                 Bill No. CS for SB 1598, 1st Eng.

    Amendment No.     (for drafter's use only)





 1         (f)  Most women in this state of childbearing age rely

 2  on private employment-related insurance to cover their medical

 3  expenses.

 4         (g)  Most private insurers cover prescription drugs,

 5  but many exclude coverage for prescription contraceptives.

 6         (h)  The lack of contraceptive coverage in health

 7  insurance policies places many effective forms of

 8  contraceptives beyond the financial reach of many women,

 9  leading to unintended pregnancies.

10         (2)  Therefore, the Legislature determines that

11  enactment of this bill constitutes an important state

12  interest.

13         Section 3.  Section 627.64061, Florida Statutes, is

14  created to read:

15         627.64061  Coverage for prescription

16  contraceptives.--Any health insurance policy that provides

17  coverage for outpatient prescription drugs shall cover

18  prescription oral contraceptives approved by the federal Food

19  and Drug Administration and prescribed by a practitioner

20  authorized by state licensure to prescribe such medication.

21  Coverage must be provided to the same extent and subject to

22  the same contract terms, including copayments and deductibles,

23  as any other prescription drug.

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25

26  ================ T I T L E   A M E N D M E N T ===============

27  And the title is amended as follows:

28         On page 1, line 22

29

30  after the first semicolon insert:

31         providing legislative intent with respect to

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    File original & 9 copies    04/30/99
    hbd0005                     08:08 am         01598-0106-681613




                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                 Bill No. CS for SB 1598, 1st Eng.

    Amendment No.     (for drafter's use only)





 1         health insurance coverage for prescription

 2         contraceptives; creating s. 627.64061, F.S.;

 3         requiring any health insurance policy that

 4         provides coverage for outpatient prescription

 5         drugs to cover prescription oral

 6         contraceptives;

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    File original & 9 copies    04/30/99
    hbd0005                     08:08 am         01598-0106-681613