A. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 38.2-3419, each insurer proposing to issue individual or group accident and sickness insurance policies providing hospital, medical and surgical, or major medical, coverage on an expense-incurred basis; each corporation providing individual or group accident and sickness subscription contracts; and each health maintenance organization providing a health care plan for health care services shall provide coverage for lymphedema as provided in this section.

B. Coverage under this section shall include benefits for equipment, supplies, complex decongestive therapy, and outpatient self-management training and education for the treatment of lymphedema, if prescribed by a health care professional legally authorized to prescribe or provide such items under law.

C. A managed care health insurance plan, as defined in Chapter 58 (§ 38.2-5800 et seq.) of this title, may require such health care professional to be a member of the plan's provider network, provided that such network includes sufficient health care professionals who are qualified by specific education, experience, and credentials to provide the covered benefits described in this section.

D. No insurer, corporation, or health maintenance organization shall impose upon any person receiving benefits pursuant to this section any copayment, fee, policy year or calendar year, or durational benefit limitation or maximum for benefits or services that is not equally imposed upon all individuals in the same benefit category.

E. The requirements of this section shall apply to all insurance policies, contracts and plans delivered, issued for delivery, reissued, or extended in this Commonwealth on and after January 1, 2004, or at any time thereafter when any term of the policy, contract or plan is changed or any premium adjustment is made.

F. This section shall not apply to short-term travel, accident only, or limited or specified disease policies or contracts, nor to policies or contracts designed for issuance to persons eligible for coverage under Title XVIII of the Social Security Act, known as Medicare, or any other similar coverage under state or federal governmental plans.

2003, c. 243; 2014, c. 814.