By McDonald H.B. No. 1416 74R4244 PB-F A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to benefits for the detection and prevention of 1-3 osteoporosis under group health insurance policies. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 3, Insurance Code, is 1-6 amended by adding Article 3.51-15 to read as follows: 1-7 Art. 3.51-15. BENEFITS FOR DETECTION AND PREVENTION OF 1-8 OSTEOPOROSIS UNDER GROUP POLICIES 1-9 Sec. 1. DEFINITION. In this article, "group health 1-10 insurance policy" means a group insurance policy, a group hospital 1-11 service contract, or a group contract issued by a health 1-12 maintenance organization that: 1-13 (1) is entered into or delivered, issued for delivery, 1-14 or renewed in this state; and 1-15 (2) provides benefits for medical or surgical expenses 1-16 incurred as a result of accident or sickness. 1-17 Sec. 2. REQUIRED COVERAGE. A group health insurance policy 1-18 must provide to a person covered by the policy coverage for 1-19 medically accepted bone mass measurement for: 1-20 (1) the detection of low bone mass; and 1-21 (2) the determination and evaluation of the person's 1-22 risk of osteoporosis and fractures associated with the condition of 1-23 osteoporosis. 1-24 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995, and 2-1 applies only to an insurance policy that is delivered, issued for 2-2 delivery, or renewed on or after January 1, 1996, or a group 2-3 contract that is entered into or renewed on or after that date. A 2-4 policy that is delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed before 2-5 January 1, 1996, or a contract that is entered into or renewed 2-6 before that date, is governed by the law as it existed immediately 2-7 before the effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in 2-8 effect for that purpose. 2-9 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-10 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-11 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-12 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-13 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.