§995. Selection of type of treatment; reimbursement

A.(1) Notwithstanding any provision of any policy or contract of insurance or health benefits issued after the effective date of this Section, whenever such policy or contract provides for payment or reimbursement for any service, and such service may be legally performed by a chiropractor licensed in this state, such payment or reimbursement under such policy or contract shall not be denied the chiropractor when such service is rendered by a person so licensed. Terminology in such policy or contract deemed discriminatory against any such person or method of practice, including but not limited to the manner of payment or reimbursement under the policy, shall be null and void. The provisions of this Paragraph shall not affect any provision of the policy or contract regarding payment for services provided by a non-contracted provider.

(2) The provisions of this Section shall apply to all new policies issued on or after November 1, 1975. Any insurer who, on August 1, 1975, has health and accident policies in force shall, upon the anniversary date of such policies, convert all existing policies to conform to the provisions of this Section; provided, however, that all existing policies shall be converted to conform to the provisions of this Section by August 1, 1976.

B. Any person, partnership, corporation, or other organization or the state of Louisiana which provides or contracts to provide health and accident benefit coverage as a self-insurer for his or its employees, stockholders, or other persons shall be subject to the provisions of this Section. This Section shall not apply to collectively bargained union welfare plans, other than health and accident plans.

C. The provisions of this Section shall apply to all new policies issued on or after December 1, 1984. Any insurer who on December 1, 1984, has health and accident policies in force shall convert upon the anniversary date of such policies all existing policies to conform to the provisions of Subsection B of this Section. All existing policies shall be converted to conform to the provisions of Subsection B of this Section no later than December 1, 1985.

Added by Acts 1975, No. 265, §1, eff. Nov. 1, 1975. Acts 1984, No. 680, §1; Redesignated from R.S. 22:668 by Acts 2008, No. 415, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2009; Acts 2010, No. 919, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2011; Acts 2018, No. 589, §1.