Mississippi Code 1972 (2023) › Title 83 - INSURANCE (§§ 83-1-1 — 83-NEW-004) › Chapter 41 - HOSPITAL AND MEDICAL SERVICE ASSOCIATIONS AND CONTRACTS (§§ 83-41-1 — 83-41-417) › Article 5 - PROVISIONS COMMON TO HOSPITAL, MEDICAL, OR SURGICAL INSURANCE (§§ 83-41-201 — 83-41-219) › Section 83-41-211 - Beneficiaries' freedom of choice of practitioner in treatment of mental, nervous or emotional disorders; psychologist, professional counselor or clinical social worker

Whenever any policy of insurance or any medical service plan or hospital service contract or hospital and medical service contract issued in this state provides for reimbursement for any diagnosis and treatment of mental, nervous or emotional disorders only which are within the lawful scope of practice of a duly licensed psychologist as defined in Section
73-31-3
, within the lawful scope of practice of a duly licensed professional counselor as defined in Section
73-30-3
, within the lawful scope of practice of a duly licensed clinical social worker as defined in Section
73-53-3
, or within the lawful scope of practice of a duly licensed marriage and family therapist as defined in Section
73-54-5
, the insured or other person entitled to benefits under such policy shall be entitled to reimbursement for such services, whether such services are performed by a duly licensed physician or by a duly licensed psychologist, by a duly licensed professional counselor, by a duly licensed clinical social worker or by a duly licensed marriage and family therapist, notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in any statute or in such policy, plan or contract. Duly licensed psychologists shall be entitled to participate in such policies, plans or contracts providing for the diagnosis and treatment of mental, nervous or emotional disorders only as authorized by Section
73-31-3
. A duly licensed professional counselor shall be entitled to participate in such policies, plans or contracts providing for the diagnosis and treatment of mental, nervous or emotional disorders only as authorized by Section
73-30-3
. A duly licensed clinical social worker shall be entitled to participate in such policies, plans or contracts providing for the diagnosis and treatment of mental, nervous or emotional disorders only as authorized by Section
73-53-3
. A duly licensed marriage and family therapist shall be entitled to participate in such policies, plans or contracts providing for the diagnosis and treatment of mental, nervous or emotional disorders only as authorized by Section
73-54-5
et seq.
The addition of marriage and family therapists as providers herein is intended to only allow them to treat mental, nervous or emotional disorders as treated by other providers, to the extent that marriage and family therapists are qualified to treat such disorders. Notwithstanding anything in this section to the contrary, the scope or definition of mental, nervous or emotional disorders shall remain the same and shall not be expanded by the addition of marriage and family therapists as allowable providers.
Laws, 1974, ch. 514; Laws, 1992, ch. 586, § 1; reenacted and amended, Laws, 1994, ch. 327, § 1; reenacted and amended, Laws, 2005, ch. 493, § 1; Laws, 2008, ch. 318, § 1, eff. 7/1/2008.