Bill > HF690

This bill requires health insurance plans in Minnesota to provide comprehensive coverage for obesity management and treatment, including intensive health behavior and lifestyle treatment, metabolic and bariatric surgery, and FDA-approved obesity medications. The bill defines key terms such as "intensive health behavior and lifestyle treatment" as evidence-based behavioral interventions supporting weight management, "FDA-approved obesity medication" as drugs specifically approved by the Food and Drug Administration for chronic weight management, and "metabolic and bariatric surgery" as surgical interventions recommended by professional medical societies. Health plans must cover these treatments without imposing more restrictive criteria than the FDA-approved indications and cannot treat obesity coverage differently from coverage for other medical conditions in terms of deductibles, co-payments, and other financial considerations. The bill allows health plans to apply standard utilization management protocols to determine medical necessity, and it specifies that lifestyle treatments can be provided in various settings like offices, virtual platforms, or community-based environments. The coverage requirements will take effect on January 1, 2027, for health plans, and slightly earlier (January 1, 2026, or upon federal approval) for medical assistance programs, ensuring broader access to obesity treatment across different health coverage systems.

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https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF0690&ssn=0&y=2025