Bill > S520

This bill mandates that health insurance policies, including individual and group accident and sickness insurance, hospital service plans, medical service agreements, and health maintenance contracts, must provide coverage for scalp hair prostheses, which are artificial substitutes for scalp hair. This coverage is required for hair loss resulting from cancer or leukemia treatment, or from specific conditions like alopecia areata, alopecia totalis, non-classical 21-hydroxylase, or permanent hair loss due to injury, as long as the hair loss is not due to natural or premature aging. The bill defines "prosthesis" broadly to include artificial limbs, breasts, scalp hair, and glass eyes. Importantly, this coverage must be provided without discrimination compared to other prostheses and requires a written statement from a treating physician confirming the medical necessity of the scalp hair prosthesis, with coverage subject to the same limitations and guidelines as other prostheses, and at a minimum, matching the amount and frequency of coverage for hair loss due to chemotherapy.