A. Any health benefit plan that is offered, issued or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 1999, that provides hospitalization benefits shall provide coverage for anesthesia expenses including anesthesia practitioner expenses for the administration of the anesthesia, and hospital and ambulatory surgical center expenses associated with any medically necessary dental procedure when provided to a covered person who is:

1. Severely disabled; or

2.a.A minor eight (8) years of age or under, and who has a medical or emotional condition which requires hospitalization or general anesthesia for dental care, or

b.A minor four (4) years of age or under, who in the judgment of the practitioner treating the child, is not of sufficient emotional development to undergo a medically necessary dental procedure without the use of anesthesia.

B. A health benefit plan may require prior authorization for either inpatient or outpatient hospitalization for dental care in the same manner that prior authorization is required for hospitalization for other covered diseases or conditions.

C. Coverage provided for in subsection A of this section shall be subject to the same annual deductibles, copayments or coinsurance limits as established for all other covered benefits under the health benefit plan.

D. As used in this section, "health benefit plan" means any plan or arrangement as defined in subsection C of Section 6060.4 of this title.

Added by Laws 1998, c. 66, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 1998. Amended by Laws 1999, c. 98, § 1, eff. July 1, 1999; Laws 2010, c. 222, § 36, eff. Nov. 1, 2010.