TO:	Honorable Tom Oliverson, Chair, House Committee on Insurance
FROM:	Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB493 by Wu (Relating to HIV and AIDS tests and to health benefit plan coverage of HIV and AIDS tests.), As Introduced

The bill would amend the Health and Safety Code to allow a provider that draws a person's blood as part of an annual medical screening to submit the sample for an HIV diagnostic test under certain circumstances.  The bill would also amend the Insurance Code to prevent a health benefit plan from excluding or denying coverage of the medical tests or procedures to determine HIV infection, antibodies to HIV, or infection with any other probable causative agents of AIDS, regardless of whether the test or procedure is related to the primary diagnosis of the individual.  Based on information provided by the Employees Retirement System, the Teacher Retirement System of Texas, the Department of Insurance, the Department of State Health Services, the Health and Human Services Commission, Texas A&M University, and the University of Texas, this analysis assumes that the duties and responsibilities associated with implementing the provisions of the bill can be accomplished by utilizing existing resources.

Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.