1-1 By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 607 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed February 16, 1995; February 20, 1995, 1-3 read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human 1-4 Services; March 22, 1995, reported adversely, with favorable 1-5 Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; 1-6 March 22, 1995, sent to printer.) 1-7 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 607 By: Zaffirini 1-8 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-9 AN ACT 1-10 relating to benefits for the detection and prevention of 1-11 osteoporosis under group health insurance policies. 1-12 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-13 SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 21, Insurance Code, is 1-14 amended by adding Article 21.53C to read as follows: 1-15 Art. 21.53C. BENEFITS FOR DETECTION AND PREVENTION OF 1-16 OSTEOPOROSIS UNDER GROUP POLICIES. (a) In this article, "group 1-17 health insurance policy" means a group insurance policy, group 1-18 hospital service contract, or group contract issued by a health 1-19 maintenance organization that is delivered, issued for delivery, or 1-20 renewed in this state and that provides benefits for medical or 1-21 surgical expenses incurred as a result of accident or sickness. 1-22 (b) In this article, "qualified individual" means an 1-23 estrogen-deficient woman at clinical risk for osteoporosis, an 1-24 individual with vertebral abnormalities, an individual receiving 1-25 long-term glucocorticoid therapy, an individual with primary 1-26 hyperparathyroidism, an individual with a history of bone 1-27 fractures, or an individual being monitored to assess the response 1-28 to or efficacy of approved osteoporosis drug therapies. 1-29 (c) A group health insurance policy must provide coverage 1-30 for a qualified individual covered by the policy for medically 1-31 accepted bone mass measurement for the detection of low bone mass 1-32 and to determine the person's risk of osteoporosis and fractures 1-33 associated with osteoporosis. 1-34 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 1-35 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-36 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-37 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-38 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. 1-39 * * * * *