SB 1008 — AN ACT CONCERNING HEALTH EQUITY, THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC AND PULSE OXIMETERS.

Senate GeneralBill Assembly File No.

3651008 JanuaryPublic Session,Act 2021 Senate Bill No.

100821-57 Senate,AN AprilACT 8,CONCERNING 2021HEALTH TheEQUITY, CommitteeTHE onCORONAVIRUS InsurancePANDEMIC andAND RealPULSE EstateOXIMETERS. reported through SEN.

LESSER of the 9th Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the Senate, that the bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING HEALTH EQUITY, THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC AND PULSE OXIMETERS.

(2) "Health carrier" has the same meaning as provided in section 38a- 1080 of the general statutes;

(3) "Pharmacist""Insured" has the same meaning as provided in section 38a-38a-1 479aaa of the general statutes;

(4) "Pharmacy""Pharmacist" has the same meaning as provided in section 38a- 479aaa of the general statutes;

and (5) "Pharmacy"Pharmacy" benefits manager" has the same meaning as provided SB1008in /section File38a- No.479aaa of the general statutes;

365and 1(6) SB1008"Pharmacy Filebenefits No.manager" has the same meaning as provided in section 38a-479aaa of the general statutes.

365Senate inBill sectionNo. 38a-479aaa of the general statutes.

1008 (b) TheNot Insurancelater Commissioner,than inJanuary consultation1, with2022, the CommissionerDepartment of Public Health, in consultation with the Insurance Department, shall adoptdevelop regulations,educational materials to ensure that each health care provider, health carrier, pharmacist, pharmacy and pharmacy benefits manager doing business in accordancethis withstate theis provisionsinformed ofthat chaptera 54pulse oximeter is more likely to produce an inaccurate blood oxygen level reading for an insured who is an individual of thecolor generalas statutes,opposed to ensurean that:insured who is a white individual.

(1)(c) EachNot healthlater carethan provider,July health1, carrier,2022, pharmacist,the pharmacyDepartment and pharmacy benefits manager doing business in this state is informed that a pulse oximeter is more likely to produce an inaccurate blood oxygen level reading for an insured who is an individual of colorPublic asHealth opposedshall: to an insured who is a white individual;

and(1) (2)Post Eachthe insurededucational inmaterials developed pursuant to subsection (b) of this state:section on the department's Internet web site;

(A)and Who(2) receivesDistribute athe coverededucational pulsematerials oximeterdeveloped ispursuant informed that such pulse oximeter is more likely to producesubsection an(b) inaccurate blood oxygen level reading for such insured if such insured is an individual of colorthis assection opposed to aneach: insured who is a white individual;

and(A) (B)Health Is informed that if such insured receives an inaccurate blood oxygenlevelreadingasmeasuredby apulseoximetersuchinsuredmay be deprived of medically necessary health care servicesprovider; due to such inaccurate reading.

(B) Pharmacy;

and (C) Medical school located in this state for dissemination to such school's students.

ThisSec. act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:

Section3. 1 July 1, 2021 New section SB1008 / File No.

365(NEW) 2(Effective SB1008July File1, 2021) (a) For the purposes of this Public Act No.

36521-57 Sec.2 of 3 Senate Bill No.

21008 Januarysection: 1, 2022 New section INS Joint Favorable SB1008 / File No.

365(1) 3"Health SB1008carrier" Filehas No.the same meaning as provided in section 38a- of the general statutes;

365 The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill(2) Analysis"Pharmacy arebenefits preparedmanager" forhas the benefitsame ofmeaning theas membersprovided ofin thesection General38a-479aaa Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not represent the intentgeneral ofstatutes. the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose.

In(b) general,Not fiscallater impactsthan areJuly based1, upon2022, a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’sInsurance professionalDepartment knowledge.shall:

Whenever(1) applicable,Post agencythe dataeducational ismaterials consulteddeveloped aspursuant partto ofsubsection the(b) analysis,of howeversection final1 productsof dothis notact necessarilyon reflectthe andepartment's assessmentInternet fromweb anysite; specific department.

OFAand Fiscal(2) NoteDistribute Statethe Impact:educational materials developed pursuant to subsection (b) of section 1 ofthis act to each health carrier and pharmacy benefits manager doing business in this state.

NoneApproved MunicipalJune Impact:16, 2021 Public Act No.

None21-57 Explanation3 Theof bill3 is not anticipated to result in a fiscal impact to the state or municipalities.

There is no cost for the Insurance Department to adopt the regulations required by the bill.

The Out Years State Impact:

None Municipal Impact:

None SB1008 / File No.

365 4 SB1008 File No.

365 OLR Bill Analysis SB 1008 AN ACT CONCERNING HEALTH EQUITY, THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC AND PULSE OXIMETERS.

SUMMARY This bill requires the insurance commissioner, in consultation with the public health commissioner, to adopt regulations to ensure that:

1.

health care providers, insurers and other health carriers, pharmacists, pharmacies, and pharmacy benefits managers are informed that a pulse oximeter (see BACKGROUND) is more likely to produce an inaccurate blood oxygen level reading for individuals of color as opposed to white individuals;

2.