(A) As used in this section:

(1) "Emergency medical condition" means a medical condition that manifests itself by such acute symptoms of sufficient severity, including severe pain, that a prudent layperson with average knowledge of health and medicine could reasonably expect the absence of immediate medical attention to result in any of the following:

(a) Placing the health of the individual or, with respect to a pregnant woman, the health of the woman or her unborn child, in serious jeopardy;

(b) Serious impairment to bodily functions;

(c) Serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part.

(2) "Emergency services" means the following:

(a) A medical screening examination, as required by federal law, that is within the capability of the emergency department of a hospital, including ancillary services routinely available to the emergency department, to evaluate an emergency medical condition;

(b) Such further medical examination and treatment that are required by federal law to stabilize an emergency medical condition and are within the capabilities of the staff and facilities available at the hospital, including any trauma and burn center of the hospital.

(B) Every individual or group policy of sickness and accident insurance that provides hospital, surgical, or medical expense coverage shall cover emergency services without regard to the day or time the emergency services are rendered or to whether the policyholder, the hospital's emergency department where the services are rendered, or an emergency physician treating the policyholder, obtained prior authorization for the emergency services.

(C) Every individual policy or certificate furnished by an insurer in connection with any sickness and accident insurance policy shall provide information regarding the following:

(1) The scope of coverage for emergency services;

(2) The appropriate use of emergency services, including the use of the 9-1-1 system and any other telephone access systems utilized to access prehospital emergency services;

(3) Any copayments for emergency services.

(D) This section does not apply to any individual or group policy of sickness and accident insurance covering only accident, credit, dental, disability income, long-term care, hospital indemnity, medicare supplement, medicare, tricare, specified disease, or vision care; coverage under a one-time limited duration policy that is less than twelve months; coverage issued as a supplement to liability insurance; insurance arising out of workers' compensation or similar law; automobile medical payment insurance; or insurance under which benefits are payable with or without regard to fault and which is statutorily required to be contained in any liability insurance policy or equivalent self-insurance.

Amended by 130th General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 201, §1, eff. 3/23/2015.

Effective Date: 04-11-2000 .