S0644

	2017 -- S 0644
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	LC002206
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	STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017
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	A N A C T
	RELATING TO INSURANCE -- COMMUNICATION ACCESS SERVICES

	Introduced By: Senators Archambault, Miller, Sosnowski, Calkin, and Crowley
	Date Introduced: March 29, 2017
	Referred To: Senate Health & Human Services
	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
1	SECTION 1. Chapter 27-18 of the General Laws entitled "Accident and Sickness
2	Insurance Policies" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
3	27-18-83. Communication access services.
4	(a) Every individual or group health insurance contract, or every individual or group
5	hospital or medical expense insurance policy, plan, or group policy delivered, issued for delivery,
6	or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2018, shall provide coverage for effective
7	communication access services for the deaf and hard of hearing patients or identified clients.
8	(b) For the purposes of this section:
9	(1) "Communication access services" means any effective communication access
10	services recognized by either the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or the Americans with Disabilities
11	Act to guarantee full communication access between the patients or identified clients who are
12	deaf and hard of hearing and doctors or other health care professionals to ensure that each party is
13	understood regarding their health needs and treatments. Examples of effective communication
14	access services are interpreters for the deaf, communication access real-time translation (CART)
15	service, remote video interpreting service for the deaf, remote CART service, etc.
16	(c) This section shall not apply to equipment purchased as part of communication access
17	accommodations. Examples are TTYs, videophones, assistive listening devices, etc.
18	SECTION 2. Chapter 27-19 of the General Laws entitled "Nonprofit Hospital Service
19	Corporations" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

1	27-19-74. Communication access services.
2	(a) Every individual or group health insurance contract, or every individual or group
3	hospital or medical expense insurance policy, plan, or group policy delivered, issued for delivery,
4	or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2018, shall provide coverage for effective
5	communication access services for the deaf and hard of hearing patients or identified clients.
6	(b) For the purposes of this section:
7	(1) "Communication access services" means any effective communication access
8	services recognized by either the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or the Americans with Disabilities
9	Act to guarantee full communication access between the patients or identified clients who are
10	deaf and hard of hearing and doctors or other health care professionals to ensure that each party is
11	understood regarding their health needs and treatments. Examples of effective communication
12	access services are interpreters for the deaf, communication access real-time translation (CART)
13	service, remote video interpreting service for the deaf, remote CART service, etc.
14	(c) This section shall not apply to equipment purchased as part of communication access
15	accommodations. Examples are TTYs, videophones, assistive listening devices, etc.
16	SECTION 3. Chapter 27-20 of the General Laws entitled "Nonprofit Medical Service
17	Corporations" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
18	27-20-70. Communication access services.
19	(a) Every individual or group health insurance contract, or every individual or group
20	hospital or medical expense insurance policy, plan, or group policy delivered, issued for delivery,
21	or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2018, shall provide coverage for effective
22	communication access services for the deaf and hard of hearing patients or identified clients.
23	(b) For the purposes of this section:
24	(1) "Communication access services" means any effective communication access
25	services recognized by either the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or the Americans with Disabilities
26	Act to guarantee full communication access between the patients or identified clients who are
27	deaf and hard of hearing and doctors or other health care professionals to ensure that each party is
28	understood regarding their health needs and treatments. Examples of effective communication
29	access services are interpreters for the deaf, communication access real-time translation (CART)
30	service, remote video interpreting service for the deaf, remote CART service, etc.
31	(c) This section shall not apply to equipment purchased as part of communication access
32	accommodations. Examples are TTYs, videophones, assistive listening devices, etc.
33	SECTION 4. Chapter 27-38.2 of the General Laws entitled "Insurance Coverage for
34	Mental Illness and Substance Abuse" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
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1	27-38.2-6. Communication access services.
2	(a) Every individual or group health insurance contract, or every individual or group
3	hospital or medical expense insurance policy, plan, or group policy delivered, issued for delivery,
4	or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2018, shall provide coverage for effective
5	communication access services for the deaf and hard of hearing patients or identified clients.
6	(b) For the purposes of this section:
7	(1) "Communication access services" means any effective communication access
8	services recognized by either the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or the Americans with Disabilities
9	Act to guarantee full communication access between the patients or identified clients who are
10	deaf and hard of hearing and doctors or other health care professionals to ensure that each party is
11	understood regarding their health needs and treatments. Examples of effective communication
12	access services are interpreters for the deaf, communication access real-time translation (CART)
13	service, remote video interpreting service for the deaf, remote CART service, etc.
14	(c) This section shall not apply to equipment purchased as part of communication access
15	accommodations. Examples are TTYs, videophones, assistive listening devices, etc.
16	SECTION 5. Chapter 27-41 of the General Laws entitled "Health Maintenance
17	Organizations" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:
18	27-41-87. Communication access services.
19	(a) Every individual or group health insurance contract, or every individual or group
20	hospital or medical expense insurance policy, plan, or group policy delivered, issued for delivery,
21	or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2018, shall provide coverage for effective
22	communication access services for the deaf and hard of hearing patients or identified clients.
23	(b) For the purposes of this section:
24	(1) "Communication access services" means any effective communication access
25	services recognized by either the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or the Americans with Disabilities
26	Act to guarantee full communication access between the patients or identified clients who are
27	deaf and hard of hearing and doctors or other health care professionals to ensure that each party is
28	understood regarding their health needs and treatments. Examples of effective communication
29	access services are interpreters for the deaf, communication access real-time translation (CART)
30	service, remote video interpreting service for the deaf, remote CART service, etc.
31	(c) This section shall not apply to equipment purchased as part of communication access
32	accommodations. Examples are TTYs, videophones, assistive listening devices, etc.
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1	SECTION 6. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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	EXPLANATION
	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
	OF
	A N A C T
	RELATING TO INSURANCE -- COMMUNICATION ACCESS SERVICES
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1	This act would require insurance plans to include coverage for effective communication
2	access services between patients who are deaf and their health care professionals in order to
3	ensure that their health needs and treatments are clearly communicated and understood.
4	This act would take effect upon passage.
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