1.    An insurance company, nonprofit health service corporation, or health maintenance organization may not deliver, issue, execute, or renew any health insurance policy or health service contract on a group or blanket or franchise or association basis unless the policy or contract provides benefits, of the same type offered under the policy or contract for other illnesses, for health services to any person covered under the policy or contract, for the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of mental disorder and other related illness, which benefits meet or exceed the benefits provided in subsection 2.

2.     a.    The benefits must be provided for each of the following services: inpatient treatment, treatment by partial hospitalization, residential treatment, and outpatient treatment.

b.    In the case of benefits provided for inpatient treatment, the benefits must be provided for a minimum of forty-five days of services covered under this section and section 26.1-36-08 in any calendar year if provided by a hospital as defined under section 52-01-01 and rules of the department of health and human services pursuant thereto offering treatment for the prevention or cure of mental disorder or other related illness. An insurance provider may require an individualized treatment plan from the inpatient treatment service provider which indicates that the course of treatment is the most appropriate and least restrictive form of treatment available in the community.

c.    In the case of benefits provided for partial hospitalization, the benefits must be provided for a minimum of one hundred twenty days of services covered under this section and section 26.1-36-08 in any calendar year. Partial hospitalization must be provided by a hospital as defined under section 52-01-01 and rules of the department of health and human services pursuant thereto or by a regional human service center licensed under section 50-06-05.2, offering treatment for the prevention or cure of mental disorder or other related illness. For services provided in regional human service centers, charges must be reasonably similar to the charges for care provided by hospitals as defined in this subsection.

d.    In the case of benefits provided for residential treatment, the benefits must be provided for a minimum of one hundred twenty days of services covered under this section in any calendar year. Residential treatment services must be provided by a hospital as defined under section 52-01-01 and rules of the department of health and human services; by a regional human service center licensed under section 50-06-05.2 offering treatment for the prevention or cure of mental disorder or other related illness; or by a residential treatment program. For services provided in a regional human service center, charges must be reasonably similar to the charges for care provided by a hospital as defined in this subsection.

e.    Any individual receiving residential treatment services who requires residential treatment service beyond the minimum of one hundred twenty days may trade unused inpatient treatment benefits provided for under subdivision b. For the    purpose of computing the period for which benefits are payable, each day of inpatient treatment is equivalent to two days of treatment by a residential treatment program; provided, however, that no more than twenty-three days of the inpatient treatment benefits required by this section may be traded for residential treatment services.

f.     (1) In the case of benefits provided for outpatient treatment, the benefits must be provided for a minimum of thirty hours for services covered under this section in any calendar year if the treatment services are provided within the scope of licensure by a nurse who holds advanced licensure with a scope of practice within mental health or if the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment services are provided within the scope of licensure by a licensed physician, a licensed psychologist who is eligible for listing on the national register of health service providers in psychology, a licensed professional clinical counselor who is qualified in the clinical mental health counseling specialty in this state, or a licensed independent clinical social worker.

(2) A person who is qualified for third-party payment by the board of social work examiners on August 1, 1997, is exempt from paragraph 1.

(3) Upon the request of an insurance company, a nonprofit health service corporation, or a health maintenance organization, the North Dakota board of social work examiners shall provide to the requesting entity information to certify that a licensed certified social worker meets the qualifications required under this section.

(4) The insurance company, nonprofit health service corporation, or health maintenance organization may not establish a deductible or a copayment for the first five hours in any calendar year, and may not establish a copayment greater than twenty percent for the remaining hours. The deductible limitation of this paragraph does not apply to a high-deductible health plan used to establish a health savings account pursuant to and as defined in section 223 of the Internal Revenue Code [26 U.S.C. § 223].

(5) If the services are provided by a provider outside a preferred provider network without a referral from within the network, the insurance company, nonprofit health service corporation, or health maintenance organization may establish a copayment greater than twenty percent for only those hours after the first five hours in any calendar year.

g.    “Partial hospitalization” means continuous treatment for at least three hours, but not more than twelve hours, in any twenty-four-hour period and includes the medically necessary treatment services provided by licensed professionals under the supervision of a licensed physician.

h.    “Residential treatment” has the same meaning as provided in section 25-03.2-01, but only applies to individuals under twenty-one years of age.

3.    This section does not prevent any insurance company, nonprofit health service corporation, or health maintenance organization from issuing, delivering, or renewing, at its option, any policy or contract containing provisions similar to those required by this section, when the policy or contract is not subject to such provisions.