GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA

SESSION 2011

H                                                                                                                                                   2

HOUSE BILL 910

Committee Substitute Favorable 6/8/11

Short Title:        Gov't Health Plans/ Limited Abortion Coverage.	(Public)
Sponsors:
Referred to:

May 5, 2011

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT TO Limit Abortion Coverage Under the STATE HEALTH PLAN For Teachers and State employees as well as under any health insurance plan offered by a county or municipality.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.(a)  Effective until January 1, 2011, G.S. 135-45.8 is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:

"§ 135-45.8.  General limitations and exclusions.

The following shall in no event be considered covered expenses nor will benefits described in G.S. 135-45.6 through G.S. 135-45.11 be payable for:

…

(25) Charges for medical or surgical abortion procedures except:

a. When the pregnancy is the result of cases of rape or incest.

b. The life of the mother would be endangered if the unborn child were carried to term.

Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to limit medical care provided after a spontaneous miscarriage."

SECTION 1.(b)  Effective until January 1, 2011, the provisions of G.S. 135-45.8(21) and (22) do not apply to complications or related charges from an abortion not covered under G.S. 135-45.8(25), as enacted in subsection (a) of this section.

SECTION 1.(c)  Effective January 1, 2011, G.S. 135-48.52, as enacted in Section 2.10 of S.L. 2011-85, is amended by adding a new subdivision to read:

"(8) Charges for medical or surgical abortion procedures except:

a. When the pregnancy is the result of cases of rape or incest.

b. The life of the mother would be endangered if the unborn child were carried to term.

Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to limit medical care provided after a spontaneous miscarriage. The Plan shall, however, provide coverage for subsequent complications or related charges arising from an abortion not covered under this subdivision."

SECTION 2.(a)  Effective until January 1, 2011, G.S. 153A-92(d) reads as rewritten:

"(d)      A county may purchase life insurance or health insurance or both for the benefit of all or any class of county officers and employees as a part of their compensation. A county may provide other fringe benefits for county officers and employees. In providing health insurance to county officers and employees, a county shall not provide abortion coverage greater than that provided by the State Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees under Article 3A of Chapter 135 of the General Statutes."

SECTION 2.(b)  Effective January 1, 2012, G.S. 153A-92(d), as amended by this act, reads as rewritten:

"(d)      A county may purchase life insurance or health insurance or both for the benefit of all or any class of county officers and employees as a part of their compensation. A county may provide other fringe benefits for county officers and employees. In providing health insurance to county officers and employees, a county shall not provide abortion coverage greater than that provided by the State Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees under Article 3A Article 3B of Chapter 135 of the General Statutes."

SECTION 3.(a)  Effective until January 1, 2011, G.S. 160A-162(b) reads as rewritten:

"(b)      The council may purchase life, health, and any other forms of insurance for the benefit of all or any class of city employees and their dependents, and may provide other fringe benefits for city employees. In providing health insurance to city employees, the council shall not provide abortion coverage greater than that provided by the State Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees under Article 3A of Chapter 135 of the General Statutes."

SECTION 3.(b)  Effective January 1, 2012, G.S. 160A-162(b) reads as rewritten:

"(b)      The council may purchase life, health, and any other forms of insurance for the benefit of all or any class of city employees and their dependents, and may provide other fringe benefits for city employees. In providing health insurance to city employees, the council shall not provide abortion coverage greater than that provided by the State Health Plan for Teachers and State Employees under Article 3A Article 3B of Chapter 135 of the General Statutes."

SECTION 4.  If Section 29.23 of House Bill 200 of the 2011 Regular Session becomes law, Section 1 of this act is repealed.

SECTION 5.  Except as otherwise provided, this act becomes effective October 1, 2011, and applies to health insurance plan years beginning on or after that date.