Subdivision 1.Discrimination prohibited against unmarried women.

Each group policy of accident and health insurance and each group health maintenance contract shall provide the same coverage for maternity benefits to unmarried women and minor female dependents that it provides to married women including the wives of employees choosing dependent family coverage. If an unmarried insured or an unmarried enrollee is a parent of a dependent child, each group policy and each group contract shall provide the same coverage for that child as that provided for the child of a married employee choosing dependent family coverage if the insured or the enrollee elects dependent family coverage.

Terms Used In Minnesota Statutes 62A.041

  • Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
  • Dependent: A person dependent for support upon another.
  • Minor: means an individual under the age of 18. See Minnesota Statutes 645.451

Each individual policy of accident and health insurance and each individual health maintenance contract shall provide the same coverage for maternity benefits to unmarried women and minor female dependents as that provided for married women. If an unmarried insured or an unmarried enrollee is a parent of a dependent child, each individual policy and each individual contract shall also provide the same coverage for that child as that provided for the child of a married insured or a married enrollee choosing dependent family coverage if the insured or the enrollee elects dependent family coverage.

Subd. 2.Limitation on coverage prohibited.

Each group policy of accident and health insurance, except for policies which only provide coverage for specified diseases, or each group subscriber contract of accident and health insurance or health maintenance contract, issued or renewed after August 1, 1987, shall include maternity benefits in the same manner as any other illness covered under the policy or contract.

Subd. 3.Abortion.

For the purposes of this section, the term “maternity benefits” shall not include elective, induced abortion whether performed in a hospital, other abortion facility, or the office of a physician.

This section applies to policies and contracts issued, delivered, or renewed after August 1, 1985, that cover Minnesota residents.