58-3-220. Mental illness benefits coverage.

(a) Mental Health Equity Requirement. - Except as provided in subsection (b), an insurer shall provide in each group health benefit plan benefits for the necessary care and treatment of mental illnesses that are no less favorable than benefits for physical illness generally, including application of the same limits. For purposes of this subsection, mental illnesses are as diagnosed and defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, DSM-5, or a subsequent edition published by the American Psychiatric Association, except those mental disorders coded in the DSM-5 or subsequent edition as autism spectrum disorder (299.00), substance-related disorders (291.0 through 292.2 and 303.0 through 305.9), those coded as sexual dysfunctions not due to organic disease (302.70 through 302.79), and those coded as "V" codes. For purposes of this subsection, "limits" includes deductibles, coinsurance factors, co-payments, maximum out-of-pocket limits, annual and lifetime dollar limits, and any other dollar limits or fees for covered services.

(b) Minimum Required Benefits. - Except as provided in subsection (c), a group health benefit plan may apply durational limits to mental illnesses that differ from durational limits that apply to physical illnesses. A group health benefit plan shall provide at least the following minimum number of office visits and combined inpatient and outpatient days for all mental illnesses and disorders not listed in subsection (c), as diagnosed and defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, DSM-5, or a subsequent edition published by the American Psychiatric Association, except those mental disorders coded in the DSM-5 or subsequent edition as autism spectrum disorder (299.00), substance-related disorders (291.0 through 292.2 and 303.0 through 305.9), those coded as sexual dysfunctions not due to organic disease (302.70 through 302.79), and those coded as "V" codes:

(1) Thirty combined inpatient and outpatient days per year.

(2) Thirty office visits per year.

(c) Durational limits for the following mental illnesses shall be subject to the same limits as benefits for physical illness generally:

(1) Bipolar Disorder.

(2) Major Depressive Disorder.

(3) Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.

(4) Paranoid and Other Psychotic Disorder.

(5) Schizoaffective Disorder.

(6) Schizophrenia.

(7) Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

(8) Anorexia Nervosa.

(9) Bulimia.

(d) Nothing in this section prevents an insurer from offering a group health benefit plan that provides greater than the minimum required benefits, as set forth in subsection (b).

(e) Nothing in this section requires an insurer to cover treatment or studies leading to or in connection with sex changes or modifications and related care.

(f) Weighted Average. - If a group health benefit plan contains annual limits, lifetime limits, co-payments, deductibles, or coinsurance only on selected physical illness and injury benefits, and these benefits do not represent substantially all of the physical illness and injury benefits under the group health benefit plan, then the insurer may impose limits on the mental health benefits based on a weighted average of the respective annual, lifetime, co-payment, deductible, or coinsurance limits on the selected physical illness and injury benefits. The weighted average shall be calculated in accordance with rules adopted by the Commissioner.

(g) Nothing in this section prevents an insurer from applying utilization review criteria to determine medical necessity as defined in G.S. 58-50-61 as long as it does so in accordance with all requirements for utilization review programs and medical necessity determinations specified in that section, including the offering of an insurer appeal process and, where applicable, health benefit plan external review as provided for in Part 4 of Article 50 of Chapter 58 of the General Statutes.

(h) Definitions. - As used in this section:

(1) "Health benefit plan" has the same meaning as in G.S. 58-3-167.

(2) "Insurer" has the same meaning as in G.S. 58-3-167.

(3) "Mental illness" has the same meaning as in G.S. 122C-3(21), with a mental disorder defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, DSM-5, or subsequent editions published by the American Psychiatric Association, except those mental disorders coded in the DSM-5 or subsequent editions as autism spectrum disorder (299.00), substance-related disorders (291.0 through 292.9 and 303.0 through 305.9), those coded as sexual dysfunctions not due to organic disease (302.70 through 302.79), and those coded as "V" codes.

(i) Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section, a group health benefit plan that covers both medical and surgical benefits and mental health benefits shall, with respect to the mental health benefits, comply with all applicable standards of Subtitle B of Title V of Public Law 110-343, known as the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008, and the applicable regulations, as amended.

(j) Subsection (i) of this section applies only to a group health benefit plan covering a large employer as defined in G.S. 58-68-25(a)(10).