§1028. Early screening and detection requirements; examination; coverage
A.(1) Any health coverage plan which is delivered or issued for delivery in this state
shall include benefits payable for an annual Pap test and minimum mammography
examination as provided in this Subsection.
(2) In this Subsection, "minimum mammography examination" means
mammographic examinations, including but not limited to digital breast tomosynthesis
(DBT), performed no less frequently than the following schedule and criteria of the
American Society of Breast Surgeons provides:
(a)(i) Except as provided in this Subparagraph, one baseline mammogram for any
woman who is thirty-five through thirty-nine years of age.
(ii) For women with a hereditary susceptibility from pathogenic mutation carrier
status or prior chest wall radiation, an annual MRI starting at age twenty-five and annual
mammography (DBT preferred modality) starting at age thirty. Such examinations shall be
in accordance with recommendations by National Comprehensive Cancer Network
guidelines or the American Society of Breast Surgeons Position Statement on Screening
Mammography no later than the following policy or plan year following changes in the
recommendations.
(iii) Annual mammography (DBT preferred modality) and access to supplemental
imaging (MRI preferred modality) starting at age thirty-five upon recommendation by her
physician if the woman has a predicted lifetime risk greater than twenty percent by any
validated model published in peer reviewed medical literature.
(b) Annual mammography (DBT preferred modality) for any woman who is forty
years of age or older.
(i) Consideration given to supplemental imaging (breast ultrasound initial preferred
modality, followed by MRI if inconclusive), if recommended by her physician, for women
with increased breast density (C and D density).
(ii) Access to annual supplemental imaging (MRI preferred modality), if
recommended by her physician, for women with a prior history of breast cancer below the
age of fifty or with a prior history of breast cancer at any age and dense breast (C and D
density).
(iii) Any coverage provided pursuant to this Subsection may be subject to the health
coverage plan's utilization review using guidelines published in peer reviewed medical
literature consistent with this Section.
(3) The annual Pap test for cervical cancer and the minimum mammography
examination shall be covered when rendered or prescribed by a physician or other
appropriate health care provider licensed in this state and received in any licensed hospital
or in any other licensed public or private facility, or portion thereof, including but not limited
to clinics and mobile screening units.
(4) In this Subsection, "digital breast tomosynthesis" means a radiologic procedure
that involves the acquisition of projection images over the stationary breast to produce cross-sectional digital three-dimensional images of the breast.
(5) No health coverage plan which is delivered or issued for delivery in this state
shall prevent any insured, beneficiary, enrollee, or subscriber from having direct access,
without any requirement for specialty referral, to the minimum mammography examination
required to be covered by this Subsection.
B.(1) Any health coverage plan which is delivered or issued for delivery in the state
shall provide coverage for detection of prostate cancer, including digital rectal examination
and prostate-specific antigen testing for men over the age of fifty years and as medically
necessary and appropriate for men over the age of forty years.
(2) "Routine prostate preventative care" as used in this Subsection, shall mean a
minimum of one routine annual visit, provided that a second visit shall be permitted based
upon medical need and follow-up treatment within sixty days after either visit if related to
a condition diagnosed or treated during the visits.
(3) Repealed by Acts 2018, No. 494, §4. eff. Jan. 1, 2019.
C. As used in this Section, "health coverage plan" shall mean any hospital, health,
or medical expense insurance policy, hospital or medical service contract, health and accident
insurance policy, or any other contract of this type, including a group insurance plan, or any
policy of family group, blanket, or association health and accident insurance, a self-insurance
plan, an employee welfare benefit plan, and a health maintenance organization subscriber
agreement. Unless otherwise specifically provided in the policy of insurance, nothing in this
Section shall apply to high deductible coverage as defined under the Internal Revenue Code
of 1986, or similar coverage with a greater deductible amount, limited benefit and
supplemental health insurance policies including individually underwritten high deductible
coverage as defined under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or similar coverage with a
greater deductible amount limited benefit and supplemental health insurance policies.
D. For the purposes of this Section, a health coverage plan shall include the office
of group benefits programs.
E. Any coverage required under the provisions of this Section shall not be subject
to any policy or health coverage plan deductible amount.
F. Any provision in a health insurance policy, benefit program, or health coverage
plan under this Section which is delivered, renewed, issued for delivery, or otherwise
contracted for in this state which is contrary to this Section shall, to the extent of the conflict,
be void.
G. The provisions of this Section shall not apply to limited benefit health insurance
policies or contracts authorized to be issued in this state.
Acts 1991, No. 387, §1; Acts 1991, No. 994, §1; Acts 1992, No. 462, §1; Acts 1995,
No. 593, §1; Acts 1997, No. 1439, §1, eff. July 15, 1997; Acts 2001, No. 1116, §1; Acts
2001, No. 1178, §2, eff. June 29, 2001; Acts 2003, No. 129, §1, eff. May 28, 2003;
Redesignated from R.S. 22:215.11 by Acts 2008, No. 415, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2009; Acts 2010,
No. 919, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2011; Acts 2018, No. 494, §§1, 4, eff. Jan. 1, 2019; Acts 2021, No.
45, §1.
NOTE: Former R.S. 22:1028 redesignated as R.S. 22:808 by Acts 2008, No.
415, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2009.