Library: Policy

317:35-21-4. Creditable coverage

Revised 9-1-19

(a) Creditable coverage when used in this subchapter means any insurance that pays for medical bills incurred for the diagnosis and/or treatment of breast or cervical cancer.A woman having any one of the following types of coverage is considered to have creditable coverage and would normally be ineligible for the BCC program:

(1) Coverage under a group health plan;

(2) Health insurance coverage, i.e., benefits consisting of medical care under any hospital or medical service policy or certificate, hospital or medical service plan contract, or health maintenance organization contract offered by a health insurance issuer;

(3) Medicare Part A and/or B;

(4) SoonerCare;

(5) Armed Forces insurance; and/or

(6) A state health risk pool.

(b) If a woman has limited coverage, such as limited drug coverage or limits on the number of outpatient visits, or high deductibles, she is still considered to have creditable coverage.However, if she has a policy with limited scope coverage such as those that only cover dental, vision, or long term care, or a policy that covers only a specific disease or illness, she is not considered to have creditable coverage, unless the policy provides coverage for breast or cervical cancer.

(c) There may be some circumstances when a woman has creditable coverage but that coverage does not actually cover treatment of breast or cervical cancer.In instances such as pre-existing condition exclusions, or when the annual or lifetime limit on benefits has been exhausted, a woman is not considered to have creditable coverage for this treatment. In these types of circumstances the woman may be eligible for BCC services if she meets all other eligibility criteria.

(d) There is no requirement that a woman be uninsured for any specific length of time before she is found eligible for SoonerCare under this program.If a woman loses creditable coverage for any reason and satisfies all other eligibility requirements for the BCC program, it is possible for her to become immediately eligible for coverage in this program.

(e) The existence of creditable coverage will be verified by the OHCA eligibility coordinator.