(a) Notwithstanding any provisions in policies or contracts which might be construed to the contrary, from and after July 1, 1999, all individual, group, or blanket policies of accident and sickness insurance and individual or group service or indemnity contracts issued by nonprofit corporations or by health care corporations which are issued, delivered, issued for delivery, amended, or renewed in this state and which provide coverage for services which are within the lawful scope of practice of an athletic trainer qualified pursuant to paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (a) of Code Section 43-5-8 shall be deemed to provide that any person covered under such policies or contracts shall be entitled to receive reimbursement for services under such policies or contracts regardless of whether such services are rendered by a duly licensed doctor of medicine or by an athletic trainer qualified pursuant to paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (a) of Code Section 43-5-8. Nothing contained in this subsection shall require an insurer to offer such coverage.

(b) This Code section shall not be construed so as to impair the obligation of any policy or contract which is in existence prior to July 1, 1999.