A. 1. No health benefit plan shall deny coverage, refuse to issue or renew, cancel or otherwise terminate, restrict or exclude any person from any health benefit plan issued or renewed on or after November 1, 2010, on the basis of the applicant’s or insured’s status as a victim of domestic abuse as defined in Section 60.1 of Title 22 of the Oklahoma Statutes.

2. No health benefit plan shall deny a claim on the basis of the insured’s status as a victim of domestic violence.

3. Domestic abuse shall not be considered to be a preexisting condition.

B. As used in this section, "health benefit plan" means individual or group coverage, a not-for-profit hospital or medical service or indemnity plan, a prepaid health plan, a health maintenance organization plan, a preferred provider organization plan, the State and Education Employees Group Health Insurance Plan, any program funded under Title XIX of the Social Security Act or such other publicly funded program, and coverage provided by a Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangement (MEWA) or employee self-insured plan except as exempt under federal ERISA provisions.

C. In order to comply with the provisions of this section, the acts constituting the domestic abuse shall be reported to a law enforcement agency setting forth the relevant facts.

Historical Data

Laws 2010, SB 1251, c. 385, § 1, eff. November 1, 2010.