AN ACT relating to coverage for perinatal mood and anxiety disorders screenings.
Summary
HB 386 would require Kentucky Medicaid, the state’s Children’s Health Insurance Program, and most health plans covering well-child or well-baby visits to include coverage for perinatal mood and anxiety disorder screenings for an accompanying parent or legal guardian of a child under age two. The bill treats the screening as a covered service tied to the child’s preventive visit, and generally bars cost sharing for the required coverage, subject to existing federal and high-deductible health plan exceptions.
The bill also amends several state insurance and public-employee health coverage statutes to add the same screening requirement to fully insured and self-insured plans, including plans for state employees and postsecondary institution employees, with implementation generally delayed until January 1, 2027. It includes provisions addressing federal law conflicts, including cost-defrayal rules for qualified health plans and requirements to seek federal approval or waivers if needed to avoid loss of federal funds or comply with federal requirements. The bill is structured to apply broadly across Medicaid, CHIP, private insurance, and public employee plans, while preserving certain federal-law limitations.
Impact
HB 386 would expand Kentucky insurance and Medicaid coverage mandates by adding perinatal mood and anxiety disorder screenings for parents or legal guardians of very young children to the list of required benefits. It would affect KRS Chapter 205 for Medicaid and CHIP, KRS Chapter 304 for private and public health insurance regulation, and KRS 18A.225 and KRS 164.2871 for state employee and postsecondary institution health plans. The bill also creates administrative duties for the Department for Medicaid Services, the Personnel Cabinet, and the Department of Insurance, including rulemaking, cost calculations, and potential federal waiver or approval requests.
Sentiment
The available record shows no committee transcript debate and no recorded votes, so there is no documented floor or committee sentiment in the materials provided. Based on the bill’s caption and structure, the measure appears to be a health coverage expansion focused on maternal and family mental health, which typically draws support from public health and child welfare perspectives. The absence of recorded opposition or amendments in the provided context means the overall sentiment cannot be measured directly from debate history.
Contention
The main points of potential contention are cost, insurance mandate scope, and federal-law compliance. Insurers and employers could object to the added coverage requirement, especially because the bill applies to private plans, Medicaid, CHIP, and public employee plans and generally prohibits cost sharing. Another likely issue is the bill’s interaction with federal Affordable Care Act rules, including whether Kentucky must make cost-defrayal payments for qualified health plans or seek waivers or approvals before implementation. The bill also contains carve-outs for high-deductible health plans and qualified health plans, reflecting concern about preserving federal tax treatment and avoiding state payment obligations.