SENATE AMENDMENT
    Bill No. CS for SB 2750
    Amendment No. ___   Barcode 921000
                            CHAMBER ACTION
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11  Senator Bennett moved the following amendment:
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13         Senate Amendment (with title amendment) 
14         On page 86, line 31,
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16  insert:  
17         Section 62.  Effective July 1, 2004, section 627.6410,
18  Florida Statutes, is created to read:
19         627.6410  Optional coverage for speech, language,
20  swallowing, and hearing disorders.--
21         (1)  Insurers issuing individual health insurance
22  policies in this state shall make available to the
23  policyholder as part of the application for any such policy of
24  insurance, for an appropriate additional premium, the benefits
25  or levels of benefits specified in the December 1999 Florida
26  Medicaid Therapy Services Handbook for genetic or congenital
27  disorders or conditions involving speech, language,
28  swallowing, and hearing and a hearing aid and earmolds benefit
29  at the level of benefits specified in the January 2001 Florida
30  Medicaid Hearing Services Handbook.
31         (2)  This section does not apply to specified-accident,
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    5:42 PM   04/30/03                              s2750c1c-21m0b

SENATE AMENDMENT Bill No. CS for SB 2750 Amendment No. ___ Barcode 921000 1 specified-disease, hospital indemnity, limited benefit, 2 disability income, or long-term care insurance policies. 3 (3) Such optional coverage is not required to be 4 offered when substantially similar benefits are included in 5 the policy of insurance issued to the policyholder. 6 (4) This section does not require or prohibit the use 7 of a provider network. 8 (5) This section does not prohibit an insurer from 9 requiring prior authorization for the benefits under this 10 section. 11 Section 63. Effective July 1, 2004, section 627.66912, 12 Florida Statutes, is created to read: 13 627.66912 Optional coverage for speech, language, 14 swallowing, and hearing disorders.-- 15 (1) Insurers issuing group health insurance policies 16 in this state shall make available to the policyholder as part 17 of the application for any such policy of insurance, for an 18 appropriate additional premium, the benefits or levels of 19 benefits specified in the December 1999 Florida Medicaid 20 Therapy Services Handbook for genetic or congenital disorders 21 or conditions involving speech, language, swallowing, and 22 hearing and a hearing aid and earmolds benefit at the level of 23 benefits specified in the January 2001 Florida Medicaid 24 Hearing Services Handbook. 25 (2) This section does not apply to specified-accident, 26 specified-disease, hospital indemnity, limited benefit, 27 disability income, or long-term care insurance policies. 28 (3) Such optional coverage is not required to be 29 offered when substantially similar benefits are included in 30 the policy of insurance issued to the policyholder. 31 (4) This section does not require or prohibit the use 2 5:42 PM 04/30/03 s2750c1c-21m0b
SENATE AMENDMENT Bill No. CS for SB 2750 Amendment No. ___ Barcode 921000 1 of a provider network. 2 (5) This section does not prohibit an insurer from 3 requiring prior authorization for the benefits under this 4 section. 5 Section 64. Effective July 1, 2004, subsection (40) is 6 added to section 641.31, Florida Statutes, to read: 7 641.31 Health maintenance contracts.-- 8 (40) Health maintenance organizations shall make 9 available to the contract holder as part of the application 10 for any such contract, for an appropriate additional premium, 11 the benefits or levels of benefits specified in the December 12 1999 Florida Medicaid Therapy Services Handbook for genetic or 13 congenital disorders or conditions involving speech, language, 14 swallowing, and hearing and a hearing aid and earmolds benefit 15 at the level of benefits specified in the January 2001 Florida 16 Medicaid Hearing Services Handbook. 17 (a) Such optional coverage is not required to be 18 offered when substantially similar benefits are included in 19 the contract issued to the subscriber. 20 (b) This section does not require or prohibit the use 21 of a provider network. 22 (c) This section does not prohibit an organization 23 from requiring prior authorization for the benefits under this 24 subsection. 25 (d) This subsection does not apply to health 26 maintenance organizations issuing individual coverage to fewer 27 than 50,000 members. 28 29 (Redesignate subsequent sections.) 30 31 3 5:42 PM 04/30/03 s2750c1c-21m0b
SENATE AMENDMENT Bill No. CS for SB 2750 Amendment No. ___ Barcode 921000 1 ================ T I T L E A M E N D M E N T =============== 2 And the title is amended as follows: 3 On page 8, line 30, after the semicolon, 4 5 insert: 6 creating s. 627.6410, F.S.; requiring insurers 7 issuing individual health insurance policies to 8 offer coverage for speech, language, swallowing 9 and hearing disorders; providing certain 10 exceptions and authorizing certain conditions; 11 creating s. 627.66912, F.S.; requiring group 12 health insurers to offer such coverage; 13 amending s. 641.31, F.S.; requiring health 14 maintenance organizations to offer such 15 coverage; 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 4 5:42 PM 04/30/03 s2750c1c-21m0b