Maryland § 15-835

§ 15-835.

    (a)    (1)    In this section the following words have the meanings indicated.

        (2)    “Habilitative services” means services and devices, including occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy, that help a child keep, learn, or improve skills and functioning for daily living.

        (3)    “Managed care system” means a method that an insurer, a nonprofit health service plan, or a health maintenance organization uses to review and preauthorize a treatment plan that a health care practitioner develops for a covered person using a variety of cost containment methods to control utilization, quality, and claims.

    (b)    This section applies to:

        (1)    insurers and nonprofit health service plans that provide hospital, medical, or surgical benefits to individuals or groups on an expense–incurred basis under health insurance policies or contracts that are issued or delivered in the State; and

        (2)    health maintenance organizations that provide hospital, medical, or surgical benefits to individuals or groups under contracts that are issued or delivered in the State.

    (c)    (1)    An entity subject to this section:

            (i)    shall provide coverage of habilitative services for insureds and enrollees who are children until at least the end of the month in which the insured or enrollee turns 19 years old; and

            (ii)    may do so through a managed care system.

        (2)    An entity subject to this section is not required to provide reimbursement for habilitative services delivered through early intervention or school services.

    (d)    An entity subject to this section shall provide notice annually to its insureds and enrollees about the coverage required under this section:

        (1)    in print; and

        (2)    on its Web site.

    (e)    Beginning November 1, 2013, a determination by an entity subject to this section of whether habilitative services covered under this section are medically necessary and appropriate to treat autism and autism spectrum disorders shall be made in accordance with regulations adopted by the Commissioner.