(1) HEALTH CARE.

The Connecticut Legislature has passed an omnibus managed care bill that requires parity for mental health benefits; extends required coverage for experimental treatments; protects the confidentiality of patient records; limits the use of drug formularies by health plans; and creates new health plan mandates, including coverage for prostate cancer screening and Lyme disease treatment. Early versions of the bill also would have funded a study into expanding health plan legal liability, but that provision was dropped from the final bill. The measure is expected to be signed into law by Gov. John Rowland, who earlier this month signed a bill mandating health plan coverage for …