As of January 1, 2011, individual health insurance policies in Colorado must include maternity coverage, regardless of gender or age, on both newly issued and renewing major medical policies after that date. A new bulletin issued this week by the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies’ (DORA) Division of Insurance clarifies this interpretation of the mandated coverage.

The mandatory coverage is detailed in HB 10‐1021, passed into law last year, which requires that all individual policies issued in Colorado include maternity coverage.

In December, the Division of Insurance issued a bulletin stating that the mandatory coverage was required on new major medical policies issued after January 1, 2011, but did not apply to renewals of existing major medical policies. However, additional statutory review determined that the coverage is required on both new and renewing individual policies. A new insurance bulletin (Bulletin B‐4.37) was issued on March 15, 2011, which clarifies the Division’s interpretation of the mandated coverage.

The entire DORA press release discussing the insurance requirements and maternity leave coverage can be found here.