By:  Zaffirini                                         S.B. No. 607
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                                        AN ACT
    1-1  relating to benefits for the detection and prevention of
    1-2  osteoporosis under group health insurance policies.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Chapter 21, Insurance Code, is
    1-5  amended by adding Article 21.53C to read as follows:
    1-6        Art. 21.53C.  BENEFITS FOR DETECTION AND PREVENTION OF
    1-7  OSTEOPOROSIS UNDER GROUP POLICIES.  (a)  In this article, "group
    1-8  health insurance policy" means a group insurance policy, group
    1-9  hospital service contract, or group contract issued by a health
   1-10  maintenance organization that is delivered, issued for delivery, or
   1-11  renewed in this state and that provides benefits for medical or
   1-12  surgical expenses incurred as a result of accident or sickness.
   1-13        (b)  In this article, "qualified individual" means an
   1-14  estrogen-deficient woman at clinical risk for osteoporosis, an
   1-15  individual with vertebral abnormalities, an individual receiving
   1-16  long-term glucocorticoid therapy, an individual with primary
   1-17  hyperparathyroidism, an individual with a history of bone
   1-18  fractures, or an individual being monitored to assess the response
   1-19  to or efficacy of approved osteoporosis drug therapies.
   1-20        (c)  A group health insurance policy must provide coverage
   1-21  for a qualified individual covered by the policy for medically
   1-22  accepted bone mass measurement for the detection of low bone mass
   1-23  and to determine the person's risk of osteoporosis and fractures
   1-24  associated with osteoporosis.
    2-1        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-2  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-3  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-4  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-5  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.