Bill Text: TX HB135 | 2017 | 85th Legislature 1st Special Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to health benefit plan coverage for certain essential health benefits.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-07-20 - Referred to Insurance [HB135 Detail]

Download: Texas-2017-HB135-Introduced.html
  85S10330 MEW-D
 
  By: Walle H.B. No. 135
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to health benefit plan coverage for certain essential
  health benefits.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subtitle E, Title 8, Insurance Code, is amended
  by adding Chapter 1380 to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 1380. COVERAGE OF ESSENTIAL HEALTH BENEFITS
         Sec. 1380.001.  APPLICABILITY OF CHAPTER. (a) This chapter
  applies only to a health benefit plan that provides benefits for
  medical or surgical expenses incurred as a result of a health
  condition, accident, or sickness, including an individual, group,
  blanket, or franchise insurance policy or insurance agreement, a
  group hospital service contract, or an individual or group evidence
  of coverage or similar coverage document that is issued by:
               (1)  an insurance company;
               (2)  a group hospital service corporation operating
  under Chapter 842;
               (3)  a health maintenance organization operating under
  Chapter 843;
               (4)  an approved nonprofit health corporation that
  holds a certificate of authority under Chapter 844;
               (5)  a multiple employer welfare arrangement that holds
  a certificate of authority under Chapter 846;
               (6)  a stipulated premium company operating under
  Chapter 884;
               (7)  a fraternal benefit society operating under
  Chapter 885;
               (8)  a Lloyd's plan operating under Chapter 941; or
               (9)  an exchange operating under Chapter 942.
         (b)  Notwithstanding any other law, this chapter applies to:
               (1)  a small employer health benefit plan subject to
  Chapter 1501, including coverage provided through a health group
  cooperative under Subchapter B of that chapter;
               (2)  a standard health benefit plan issued under
  Chapter 1507;
               (3)  a basic coverage plan under Chapter 1551;
               (4)  a basic plan under Chapter 1575;
               (5)  a primary care coverage plan under Chapter 1579;
               (6)  a plan providing basic coverage under Chapter
  1601;
               (7)  health benefits provided by or through a church
  benefits board under Subchapter I, Chapter 22, Business
  Organizations Code;
               (8)  group health coverage made available by a school
  district in accordance with Section 22.004, Education Code;
               (9)  the state Medicaid program, including the Medicaid
  managed care program operated under Chapter 533, Government Code;
               (10)  the child health plan program under Chapter 62,
  Health and Safety Code;
               (11)  a regional or local health care program operated
  under Section 75.104, Health and Safety Code;
               (12)  a self-funded health benefit plan sponsored by a
  professional employer organization under Chapter 91, Labor Code;
               (13)  county employee group health benefits provided
  under Chapter 157, Local Government Code; and
               (14)  health and accident coverage provided by a risk
  pool created under Chapter 172, Local Government Code.
         (c)  This chapter applies to coverage under a group health
  benefit plan provided to a resident of this state regardless of
  whether the group policy, agreement, or contract is delivered,
  issued for delivery, or renewed in this state.
         Sec. 1380.002.  EXCEPTION. This chapter does not apply to an
  individual health benefit plan issued on or before March 23, 2010,
  that has not had any significant changes since that date that reduce
  benefits or increase costs to the individual.
         Sec. 1380.003.  REQUIRED COVERAGE FOR ESSENTIAL HEALTH
  BENEFITS. A health benefit plan must provide coverage for the
  essential health benefits listed in 42 U.S.C. Section 18022(b)(1),
  as that section existed on January 1, 2017, and other benefits
  identified by the United States secretary of health and human
  services as essential health benefits as of that date.
         SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
  to a health benefit plan that is delivered, issued for delivery, or
  renewed on or after April 1, 2018. A health benefit plan that is
  delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed before April 1, 2018, is
  governed by the law as it existed immediately before the effective
  date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for that
  purpose.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect December 1, 2017.
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