S.B. No. 607
                                        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)  "Qualified individual" means:
   1-14              (1)  a postmenopausal woman who is not receiving
   1-15  estrogen replacement therapy;
   1-16              (2)  an individual with:
   1-17                    (A)  vertebral abnormalities;
   1-18                    (B)  primary hyperparathyroidism; or
   1-19                    (C)  a history of bone fractures; or
   1-20              (3)  an individual who is:
   1-21                    (A)  receiving long-term glucocorticoid therapy;
   1-22  or
   1-23                    (B)  being monitored to assess the response to or
   1-24  efficacy of an approved osteoporosis drug therapy.
    2-1        (c)  A group health insurance policy must provide coverage
    2-2  for a qualified individual covered by the policy for medically
    2-3  accepted bone mass measurement for the detection of low bone mass
    2-4  and to determine the person's risk of osteoporosis and fractures
    2-5  associated with osteoporosis.
    2-6        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
    2-7  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-8  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-9  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-10  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.