By Shapiro S.B. No. 53 75R1466 PB-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to coverage under certain health benefit plans for 1-3 newborns and adopted children. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Section 3D(b), Article 3.51-6, Insurance Code, is 1-6 amended to read as follows: 1-7 (b) A health insurance policy that provides coverage for the 1-8 immediate family or children of a person insured under the policy 1-9 may not exclude from coverage or limit coverage to a child of the 1-10 insured solely because the child is adopted. The insurer shall 1-11 provide full coverage under the policy to the child without 1-12 limiting coverage of a preexisting condition if an application for 1-13 coverage for the child is made not later than the 31st day after 1-14 the date on which the adoption is final. 1-15 SECTION 2. The Texas Health Maintenance Organization Act 1-16 (Chapter 20A, Vernon's Texas Insurance Code) is amended by adding 1-17 Section 9A to read as follows: 1-18 Sec. 9A. REQUIRED COVERAGE FOR NEWBORNS; ADOPTED CHILDREN. 1-19 (a) Each health maintenance organization that provides coverage 1-20 for health care services for the dependents of an enrollee shall 1-21 include full coverage for the newborn child of an enrollee if the 1-22 child is enrolled in the health care plan not later than the 31st 1-23 day after the date of the child's birth. 1-24 (b) A health maintenance organization that provides coverage 2-1 for the immediate family or children of an enrollee may not exclude 2-2 from coverage in a health care plan or limit coverage under a plan 2-3 to a child of an enrollee solely because the child is adopted. The 2-4 health maintenance organization shall provide full coverage under 2-5 the plan to the child without limiting coverage of a preexisting 2-6 condition if the child is enrolled in the plan not later than the 2-7 31st day after the date on which the adoption is final. 2-8 SECTION 3. Section 3D(b), Article 3.51-6, Insurance Code, as 2-9 amended by Section 1 of this Act, applies only to an insurance 2-10 policy that is delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed on or 2-11 after January 1, 1998. A policy that is delivered, issued for 2-12 delivery, or renewed before January 1, 1998, is governed by the law 2-13 as it existed immediately before the effective date of this Act, 2-14 and that law is continued in effect for that purpose. 2-15 SECTION 4. Section 9A, The Texas Health Maintenance 2-16 Organization Act (Chapter 20A, Vernon's Texas Insurance Code), as 2-17 added by Section 2 of this Act, applies only to an evidence of 2-18 coverage that is delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed on or 2-19 after January 1, 1998. An evidence of coverage that is delivered, 2-20 issued for delivery, or renewed before January 1, 1998, is governed 2-21 by the law as it existed immediately before the effective date of 2-22 this Act, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose. 2-23 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 2-24 SECTION 6. The importance of this legislation and the 2-25 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-26 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-27 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-1 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.