§ 27-18-57 - F.D.A. approved prescription contraceptive drugs and devices. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 27-18-57

   § 27-18-57  F.D.A. approved prescriptioncontraceptive drugs and devices. – (a) Every individual or group health insurance contract, plan, or policy thatprovides prescription coverage and is delivered, issued for delivery, orrenewed in this state shall provide coverage for F.D.A. approved contraceptivedrugs and devices requiring a prescription. Provided, that nothing in thissubsection shall be deemed to mandate or require coverage for the prescriptiondrug RU 486.

   (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, anyinsurance company may issue to a religious employer an individual or grouphealth insurance contract, plan, or policy that excludes coverage forprescription contraceptive methods which are contrary to the religiousemployer's bona fide religious tenets.

   (c) As used in this section, "religious employer" means anemployer that is a "church or a qualified church-controlled organization" asdefined in 26 U.S.C. § 3121.

   (d) This section does not apply to insurance coverageproviding benefits for: (1) hospital confinement indemnity; (2) disabilityincome; (3) accident only; (4) long term care; (5) Medicare supplement; (6)limited benefit health; (7) specified diseased indemnity; (8) sickness ofbodily injury or death by accident or both; and (9) other limited benefitpolicies.

   (e) Every religious employer that invokes the exemptionprovided under this section shall provide written notice to prospectiveenrollees prior to enrollment with the plan, listing the contraceptive healthcare services the employer refuses to cover for religious reasons.