Bill > HB1207

This bill amends Missouri state law to prohibit health carriers (insurance companies, health maintenance organizations, and other health benefit providers) from requiring prior authorization for inpatient psychiatric hospital services. Specifically, the bill adds a new definition for "inpatient psychiatric hospital services" as hospital services provided to patients in a mental health facility for the treatment of mental disorders or mental illness. The legislation introduces a new section that directly states that health carriers cannot mandate prior authorization (a pre-approval process) for these specific mental health services. Prior authorization is a process where patients or healthcare providers must obtain approval from an insurance company before certain medical services are covered. By eliminating this requirement for inpatient psychiatric services, the bill aims to reduce barriers to mental health treatment and make it easier for patients to access necessary psychiatric hospital care. This change could potentially help individuals seek timely mental health treatment without facing additional administrative hurdles from their health insurance providers.

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1207&year=2025&code=R