2023 New Mexico Statutes › Chapter 59A - Insurance Code › Article 23 - Group and Blanket Health Insurance Contracts › Section 59A-23-7.18 - Biomarker testing coverage.

A. A blanket or group health insurance policy, health care plan or certificate of health insurance that is delivered, issued for delivery or renewed in this state shall provide coverage for insureds to receive biomarker testing.
B. Coverage provided pursuant to this section shall be for the purposes of diagnosis, treatment, appropriate management or ongoing monitoring of an insured's disease or condition when the test is supported by medical and scientific evidence, including:
(1) labeled indications for a United States food and drug administration-approved or -cleared test;
(2) indicated tests for a United States food and drug administration-approved drug;
(3) warnings and precautions on United States food and drug administration labels;
(4) federal centers for medicare and medicaid services national coverage determinations or medicare administrative contractor local coverage determinations; or
(5) nationally recognized clinical practice guidelines.
C. A blanket or group health policy, health care plan or certificate of health insurance providing coverage for biomarker testing pursuant to this section shall ensure that:
(1) coverage is provided in a manner that limits disruptions in care, including coverage for multiple biopsies or biospecimen samples; and
(2) a patient and a practitioner who prescribes biomarker testing have clear, accessible and convenient processes to request an appeal of a benefit denial by the insurer and that those processes are accessible on the insurer's website.
D. Coverage for biomarker testing may be subject to deductibles and coinsurance consistent with those imposed on other benefits under the same policy, plan or certificate.
E. The provisions of this section do not apply to accident-only or limited or specified disease policies, plans or certificates of health insurance.
F. As used in this section:
(1) "biomarker" means a characteristic that is objectively measured and evaluated as an indicator of normal biological processes, pathogenic processes or pharmacologic responses to a specific therapeutic intervention, including known gene-drug interactions for medications being considered for use or already being administered. "Biomarker" includes gene mutations, characteristics of genes or protein expression;
(2) "biomarker testing" means analysis of a patient's tissue, blood or other biospecimen for the presence of a biomarker and includes single-analyte tests, multi-plex panel tests, protein expression and whole exome, whole genome and whole transcriptome sequencing; and
(3) "nationally recognized clinical practice guidelines" means evidence-based clinical practice guidelines that are:
(a) developed by independent organizations or medical professional societies using a transparent methodology and reporting structure and with a conflict-of-interest policy; and
(b) used to establish standards of care informed by a systematic review of evidence and an assessment of the benefits and risks of alternative care options and include recommendations intended to optimize patient care.
History:
Laws 2023, ch. 138, § 4.
ANNOTATIONS
Effective dates.
— Laws 2023, ch. 138 contained no effective date provision, but, pursuant to N.M. Const., art. IV, § 23, was effective June 16, 2023, 90 days after adjournment of the legislature.
Applicability.
— Laws 2023, ch. 138, § 7 provided that the provisions of Laws 2023, ch. 138 apply to health insurance policies, health care plans, certificates of health insurance or health maintenance organization contracts that are delivered, issued for delivery or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2024.