| 1 | 1 | | 81R258 KCR-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Thompson H.B. No. 2278 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to health benefit plan coverage under the Texas Employees |
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| 8 | 8 | | Group Benefits Act for certain medical supplies. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 1551, Insurance Code, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended by adding Section 1551.223 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 1551.223. SUPPLIES AND SERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH |
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| 13 | 13 | | DIABETES TREATMENT. (a) In this section, "diabetes equipment" and |
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| 14 | 14 | | "diabetes supplies" have the meanings assigned by Section 1358.051. |
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| 15 | 15 | | (b) A health benefit plan offered under the group benefits |
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| 16 | 16 | | program that provides coverage for the treatment of diabetes must |
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| 17 | 17 | | provide coverage for diabetes equipment and diabetes supplies. |
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| 18 | 18 | | (c) A health benefit plan described by Subsection (b) may |
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| 19 | 19 | | require a deductible, copayment, or coinsurance for coverage |
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| 20 | 20 | | provided under this section. The amount of the deductible, |
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| 21 | 21 | | copayment, or coinsurance may not exceed the amount of the |
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| 22 | 22 | | deductible, copayment, or coinsurance required for treatment of |
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| 23 | 23 | | another disease or chronic health condition for which coverage for |
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| 24 | 24 | | disease management services is provided under Section 1551.219. |
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| 25 | 25 | | SECTION 2. Section 1551.223, Insurance Code, as added by |
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| 26 | 26 | | this Act, applies only to a group health benefit plan that is |
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| 27 | 27 | | delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed on or after January 1, |
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| 28 | 28 | | 2010. A group health benefit plan that is delivered, issued for |
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| 29 | 29 | | delivery, or renewed before January 1, 2010, is covered by the law |
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| 30 | 30 | | in effect at the time the group health benefit plan was delivered, |
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| 31 | 31 | | issued for delivery, or renewed, and that law is continued in effect |
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| 32 | 32 | | for that purpose. |
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| 33 | 33 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 34 | 34 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 35 | 35 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 36 | 36 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 37 | 37 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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