Public Act 93-0568

SB1417 Enrolled                      LRB093 05171 JLS 05231 b

    AN ACT concerning insurance.

    Be it  enacted  by  the  People  of  the  State  of  Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:

    Section 5.  The Illinois Insurance  Code  is  amended  by
changing Section 356x as follows:

    (215 ILCS 5/356x)
    Sec.  356x.  Coverage  for  colorectal cancer examination
and screening.
    (a)  An individual or group policy of accident and health
insurance or a managed care plan that is amended,  delivered,
issued,  or  renewed  on  or after the effective date of this
amendatory Act of the 93rd  General  Assembly  that  provides
coverage to a resident of this State must provide benefits or
coverage   for   all   colorectal   cancer  examinations  and
laboratory tests for colorectal cancer  as  prescribed  by  a
physician,  in  accordance with the published American Cancer
Society guidelines on colorectal cancer  screening  or  other
existing  colorectal  cancer  screening  guidelines issued by
nationally  recognized  professional  medical  societies   or
federal  government  agencies,  including the National Cancer
Institute, the Centers for Disease  Control  and  Prevention,
and the American College of Gastroenterology.
    (b)  Coverage  required under this Section may not impose
any  deductible,  coinsurance,  waiting  period,   or   other
cost-sharing  limitation  that  is greater than that required
for other coverage under the policy. An insurer shall provide
in each group policy, contract, or  certificate  of  accident
and  health  insurance amended, delivered, issued, or renewed
covering persons who are residents of this State coverage for
colorectal  cancer  screening  with  sigmoidoscopy  or  fecal
occult blood testing once every 3 years for persons  who  are
at least 50 years old.
    (b)  For  persons  who may be classified as high risk for
colorectal cancer because the person or a first degree family
member of the person has a history of colorectal cancer,  the
coverage required under subsection (a) shall apply to persons
who have attained at least 30 years of age.
    (c)  This   Section   does   not   apply  to  agreements,
contracts, or policies that provide coverage for a  specified
disease or other limited benefit coverage.
(Source: P.A. 90-741, eff. 1-1-99.)

    Section  99.   Effective  date.  This Act takes effect on
January 1, 2004.