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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to health benefit plan coverage of telemedicine, |
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teledentistry, and telehealth services provided by only |
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synchronous or asynchronous audio interaction. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 1455.004(a), Insurance Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) A health benefit plan: |
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(1) must provide coverage for a covered health care |
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service or procedure delivered by a preferred or contracted health |
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professional to a covered patient as a telemedicine medical |
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service, teledentistry dental service, or telehealth service on the |
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same basis and to the same extent that the plan provides coverage |
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for the service or procedure in an in-person setting; and |
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(2) may not: |
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(A) exclude from coverage a covered health care |
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service or procedure delivered by a preferred or contracted health |
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professional to a covered patient as a telemedicine medical |
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service, a teledentistry dental service, or a telehealth service |
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solely because the covered health care service or procedure is not |
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provided through an in-person consultation; and |
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(B) [subject to Subsection (c),] limit, deny, or |
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reduce coverage for a covered health care service or procedure |
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delivered as a telemedicine medical service, teledentistry dental |
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service, or telehealth service based on the health professional's |
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choice of platform for delivering the service or procedure. |
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SECTION 2. Section 1455.004(c), Insurance Code, is |
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repealed. |
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SECTION 3. The repeal of Section 1455.004(c), Insurance |
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Code, by this Act, applies only to a health benefit plan delivered, |
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issued for delivery, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026. A |
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health benefit plan delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed |
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before January 1, 2026, is governed by the law as it existed |
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immediately before the effective date of this Act, and that law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |