HB 456

Amends GS 58-3-190 to require health insurance to cover emergency services necessary to transport the covered person to a medically appropriate location for screening and stabilization. Requires coverage of services provided by a health care provider who is not under contract with the insurer if the covered person did not have a choice in the ground ambulance transportation service provider due to the emergency. Adds that the prohibition on imposing cost-sharing for emergency services that differs from the cost-sharing that would be imposed if the provider were contracting with the insurer includes emergency ambulance transportation services. Amends the definition of emergency services as it applies to this statute by including ambulance transportation services; also removes the definitions of health benefit plan and insurer . Amends the definition of stabilize to require compliance with guidelines and policies of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (was, the Health Care Financing Administration).