1. A. Any health benefit plan, including the State and Education Employees Group Health Insurance plan, that is offered, issued or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2005, that provides medical and surgical benefits shall provide coverage for routine annual obstetrical/gynecological examinations.
2. B. The benefit required to be provided by this section shall in no way diminish or limit diagnostic benefits otherwise allowable under a health benefit plan.
3. C. Nothing in this section shall be construed as requiring such routine annual examination to be performed by an obstetrician, gynecologist, or obstetrician/gynecologist.
4. D. As used in this section, "health benefit plan" means group hospital or medical insurance 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, and coverage provided by a Multiple Employer Welfare Arrangement (MEWA) or employee self-insured plan except as exempt under federal ERISA provisions. The term shall not include short-term, accident, fixed indemnity or specified disease policies, disability income contracts, limited benefit or credit disability insurance, workers’ compensation insurance coverage, automobile medical payment insurance, or insurance under which benefits are payable with or without regard to fault and which is required by law to be contained in any liability insurance policy or equivalent self-insurance.
5. E. The provisions of this section shall not apply to policies or certificates issued to individuals or groups with fewer than fifty employees.

Added by Laws 2004, SB 587, c. 397, § 1, eff. November 1, 2004.