An Act To Prohibit Consideration of Preexisting Conditions in Short-term Disability Insurance
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 24-A MRSA §2829-B is enacted to read:
§ 2829-B. Short-term disability insurance policies
1. Preexisting condition exclusion defined. As used in this section, "preexisting condition exclusion," with respect to coverage, means a limitation or exclusion of benefits relating to a condition based on the fact or perception that the condition was present, or that the person was at particularized risk of developing the condition, before the date of enrollment for coverage, whether or not any medical advice, diagnosis, care or treatment was recommended or received before that date.
2. Limitations. For any policy or contract subject to this chapter that provides short-term disability income benefits issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2014, an insurer may not:
A. Refuse to provide coverage to an otherwise eligible member of a group on the basis of a preexisting condition; or
B. Impose a preexisting condition exclusion on coverage for an otherwise eligible member of a group.
summary
This bill prohibits an insurer that issues group short-term disability insurance on or after January 1, 2014 from refusing to provide coverage on the basis of a preexisting condition and from imposing any exclusion on coverage based on that preexisting condition.