WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE

2022 REGULAR SESSION

Introduced

House Bill 4808

By Delegate Young

[Introduced February 15, 2022; Referred
to the Committee on Health and Human Resources then Finance]

A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §5-16-30, relating to creating the Men’s Equality Act; and requiring 100 percent coverage under the West Virginia Public Employees Insurance plan for voluntary male sterilization.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

ARTICLE 16. WEST VIRGINIA PUBLIC EMPLOYEES INSURANCE ACT.

§5-16-30. Required coverage for voluntary male sterilization.

(a) The plan shall provide, in a case of a participant or beneficiary who is receiving benefits in connection with a voluntary male sterilization 100 percent coverage.

(b) The plan may not:

(1) Deny to a patient eligibility, or continued eligibility, to enroll or to renew coverage under the terms of the plan, solely for the purpose of avoiding the requirements of this section; and

(2) Penalize or otherwise reduce or limit the reimbursement of an attending provider, or provide incentives (monetary or otherwise) to an attending provider, to induce such provider to provide care to an individual participant or beneficiary in a manner inconsistent with this section.

(c) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent a health benefit plan policy or a health insurer offering health insurance coverage from negotiating the level and type of reimbursement with a provider for care provided in accordance with this section.

(d) The provisions of this section shall be included under any policy, contract or plan delivered after July 1, 2022.

(e) This amendment shall be known as the Men’s Equality Act.

NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to create the Men’s Equality Act requiring 100 percent coverage under the West Virginia Public Employees Insurance plan for voluntary male sterilization.

Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from a heading or the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would be added.