HB 6975 — AN ACT REQUIRING A BIENNIAL STUDY OF PAYMENT PARITY FOR SERVICES UNDER CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE POLICIES IN THE STATE AND THE HUSKY HEALTH PROGRAM.

House of Representatives General Assembly FileSubstitute Bill No.

876975 January Session, 2025 SubstituteAN HouseACT BillREQUIRING No.A BIENNIAL STUDY OF PAYMENT PARITY FOR SERVICES UNDER CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE POLICIES IN THE STATE AND THE HUSKY HEALTH PROGRAM.

6975 House of Representatives, March 12, 2025 The Committee on Public Health reported through REP.

MCCARTHY VAHEY of the 133rd Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the House, that the substitute bill ought to pass.

AN ACT REQUIRING A BIENNIAL STUDY OF PAYMENT PARITY FOR SERVICES UNDER CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE POLICIES IN THE STATE AND THE HUSKY HEALTH PROGRAM.

(NEW) (Effective from passage) The Commissioner of Health Strategy shall study, in consultation with the Insurance Commissioner and the Commissioner of Social Services, whether payment parity exists between (1) providers of mental health services and providers of health care services covered under individual or group health insurance policies in this state providing coverage of the type specified in subdivisions (1), (2), (4), (11) and (12) of section 38a-469 of the general statutes, (2) providers of mental health services and providers of health care services covered under the HUSKY Health program, and (3) providers of mental health services covered under the HUSKY Health program and providers of such services covered under individual or group health insurance policies in this state providing coverage of the sHB6975type /specified Filein No.subdivisions (1), (2), (4), (11) and (12) of section 38a-469 of the general statutes.

87Not later than January 1, 2026, and biennially thereafter, the Commissioner of Health Strategy shall report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to human services, insurance, public health and appropriations and the budgets of state agencies regarding LCO 1 sHB6975of File2 Substitute Bill No.

876975 typethe specifiedresults in subdivisions (1), (2), (4), (11) and (12) of section 38a-469 of the generalstudy. statutes.

Not later than January 1, 2026, and biennially thereafter, the Commissioner of Health Strategy shall report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, to the joint standing committees of the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to human services, insurance, public health and appropriations and the budgets of state agencies regarding the results of the study.

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87 The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose.

In general, fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional knowledge.

Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note State Impact:

Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 26 $ FY 27 $ Office of Health Strategy GF - Cost 250,000 None Note:

GF=General Fund Municipal Impact:

None Explanation The bill results in a biennial cost of $250,000 to the Office of Health Strategy (OHS) to contract a consultant to complete the study.

OHS is tasked with studying payment parity amongst mental health care providers, and reporting the findings to the Appropriations, Human Services, Insurance, and Public Health committees.

The Out Years The ongoing fiscal impact identified above would continue into the future, as the bill requires OHS to complete the study every two years.

sHB6975 / File No.

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87 OLR Bill Analysis sHB 6975 AN ACT REQUIRING A BIENNIAL STUDY OF PAYMENT PARITY FOR SERVICES UNDER CERTAIN INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP HEALTH INSURANCE POLICIES IN THE STATE AND THE HUSKY HEALTH PROGRAM.

SUMMARY This bill requires the Office of Health Strategy (OHS) commissioner, in consultation with the insurance and social services commissioners, to complete studies every two years on whether payment parity exists between the following:

1.

providers of mental health services and providers of other health care services covered under commercial health insurance (see below);

2.

these providers for services covered under the HUSKY Health program (i.e., Medicaid and the state children’s health insurance program);

and 3.

providers of mental health services covered under HUSKY and commercial health insurance.

For commercial health insurance, the study must address in-state individual and group policies covering (1) basic hospital expenses;

(2) basic medical-surgical expenses;

(3) major medical expenses;

or (4) hospital or medical services, including those provided under an HMO plan.

Underthebill,theOHScommissionermustreportbyJanuary1,2026, and every two years after that, to the Appropriations, Human Services, Insurance, and Public Health committees.

(OHS completed a similar one-time study in 2024, as required by PA 22-47, § 58.) sHB6975 / File No.

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