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.
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