Maternity services.

Existing law provides for the regulation of health insurers by the Department of Insurance. Under existing law, a health insurer that provides maternity coverage may not restrict inpatient hospital benefits, as specified, and is required to provide notice of the maternity services coverage. This bill would require health insurance policies issued, amended, or renewed on or after July 1, 2011, and prior to January 1, 2014, to provide coverage for maternity services, as defined and would require health insurance policies issued, amended, or renewed on or after January 1, 2014, to provide coverage for maternity services consistent with the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, as specified. The bill would also, until January 1, 2014, to the extent permitted under federal law, authorize certain individual health insurance policies to include an exclusionary period of up to 12 months on maternity services, as specified, and would require the insurer to provide a specified notice regarding that exclusionary period at the time of solicitation for the policy.