33-22-703. (Temporary) Coverage for mental illness, alcoholism, and drug addiction. (1) A group health plan or a health insurance issuer that provides group health insurance coverage shall provide for Montana residents covered by the plan at least the following level of benefits for the necessary care and treatment of mental illness, alcoholism, and drug addiction:
     (a) under basic inpatient expense policies or contracts, inpatient hospital benefits consisting of durational limits, dollar limits, deductibles, and coinsurance factors that are not less favorable than for physical illness generally, except that:
     (i) inpatient treatment for mental illness, alcoholism, and drug addiction is subject to a maximum yearly benefit of 21 days;
     (ii) inpatient treatment for mental illness may be traded on a 2-for-1 basis for a benefit for partial hospitalization through a program that complies with the standards for a partial hospitalization program that are published by the American association for partial hospitalization if the program is operated by a hospital; and
     (iii) inpatient treatment for alcoholism and drug addiction is subject to a maximum benefit of $4,000 in any 24-month period and a maximum lifetime benefit of $8,000;
     (b) under major medical policies or contracts, inpatient benefits and outpatient benefits consisting of durational limits, dollar limits, deductibles, and coinsurance factors that are not less favorable than for physical illness generally, except that:
     (i) inpatient treatment for mental illness, alcoholism, and drug addiction is subject to a maximum yearly benefit of 21 days;
     (ii) inpatient treatment for mental illness may be traded on a 2-for-1 basis for a benefit for partial hospitalization through a program that complies with the standards for a partial hospitalization program that are published by the American association for partial hospitalization if the program is operated by a hospital;
     (iii) inpatient treatment for alcoholism and drug addiction may be subject to a maximum benefit of $4,000 in any 24-month period and a maximum lifetime benefit of $8,000;
     (iv) outpatient treatment for mental illness may be subject to a maximum yearly benefit of no less than $2,000, but this subsection (1)(b)(iv) does not apply to benefits for services furnished before September 30, 2001, unless the group health plan or group health insurance coverage is exempt from the requirements of subsection (2) pursuant to subsection (3) or (4); and
     (v) outpatient treatment for alcoholism and drug addiction is subject to a maximum yearly benefit of $1,000.
     (2) A group health plan or group health insurance coverage offered in connection with a group health plan may not impose an aggregate dollar limit on an annual or lifetime basis more restrictively for mental health benefits than for medical and surgical benefits covered by the plans. In the case of a plan that has different aggregate lifetime limits and different annual limits on various categories of medical and surgical benefits, the commissioner shall establish rules for determining a weighted average aggregate lifetime limit and weighted average annual limit to apply to mental health benefits. This subsection does not apply to benefits for services furnished on or after September 30, 2001.
     (3) Subsection (2) does not apply to a group health plan or health insurance coverage offered in connection with a group health plan in the small group market.
     (4) Subsection (2) does not apply to a group health plan or health insurance coverage offered in connection with a group health plan if the application of subsection (2) results in an increase in the cost under the group health plan or for coverage of at least 1%. This subsection applies separately to each benefit package option in the case of a group health plan that offers a participant or beneficiary two or more benefit package options under the group health plan. (Terminates September 30, 2001--sec. 54, Ch. 416, L. 1997.)

     33-22-703. (Effective October 1, 2001) Coverage for mental illness, alcoholism, and drug addiction. A group health plan or a health insurance issuer that provides group health insurance coverage shall provide for Montana residents covered by the plan at least the following level of benefits for the necessary care and treatment of mental illness, alcoholism, and drug addiction:
     (1) under basic inpatient expense policies or contracts, inpatient hospital benefits consisting of durational limits, dollar limits, deductibles, and coinsurance factors that are not less favorable than for physical illness generally, except that:
     (a) inpatient treatment for mental illness, alcoholism, and drug addiction is subject to a maximum yearly benefit of 21 days;
     (b) inpatient treatment for mental illness may be traded on a 2-for-1 basis for a benefit for partial hospitalization through a program that complies with the standards for a partial hospitalization program that are published by the American association for partial hospitalization if the program is operated by a hospital; and
     (c) inpatient treatment for alcoholism and drug addiction is subject to a maximum benefit of $4,000 in any 24-month period and a maximum lifetime benefit of $8,000;
     (2) under major medical policies or contracts, inpatient benefits and outpatient benefits consisting of durational limits, dollar limits, deductibles, and coinsurance factors that are not less favorable than for physical illness generally, except that:
     (a) inpatient treatment for mental illness, alcoholism, and drug addiction is subject to a maximum yearly benefit of 21 days;
     (b) inpatient treatment for mental illness may be traded on a 2-for-1 basis for a benefit for partial hospitalization through a program that complies with the standards for a partial hospitalization program that are published by the American association for partial hospitalization if the program is operated by a hospital;
     (c) inpatient treatment for alcoholism and drug addiction may be subject to a maximum benefit of $4,000 in any 24-month period and a maximum lifetime benefit of $8,000;
     (d) outpatient treatment for mental illness may be subject to a maximum yearly benefit of no less than $2,000, but this subsection (2)(d) does not apply to benefits for services furnished before September 30, 2001; and
     (e) outpatient treatment for alcoholism and drug addiction is subject to a maximum yearly benefit of $1,000.

     History: En. Sec. 3, Ch. 197, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 535, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 593, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 139, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 5, Ch. 384, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 448, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 150, Ch. 42, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 9, Ch. 416, L. 1997.