HBA-DMH H.B. 760 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 760
By: Coleman
Insurance
2/19/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the majority of health benefit plans in Texas exclude coverage
for an injury or sickness resulting from attempted suicide or intentionally
self-inflicted injury.  Some states have already adopted legislation to
require equitable coverage for mental health and physical health services.
House Bill 760 provides that a mental health benefit plan must include
coverage for minors who attempt suicide or intentionally self-inflict an
injury. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking
authority is expressly delegated to the commissioner of insurance in
SECTION 1 (Section 5, Article 21.53P, Insurance Code) of this bill. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 760 amends the Insurance Code to establish that a health benefit
plan must provide coverage for an enrollee, from birth through the date the
enrollee is 18 years of age, for a physical injury to the enrollee that is
self-inflicted by an enrollee with a serious mental illness or in an
attempt to commit suicide, regardless of the state of mental health of the
enrollee or whether the injury results in the death of the enrollee.  The
bill prohibits such benefits from being made subject to a deductible,
coinsurance, or copayment requirement that exceeds the deductible,
coinsurance, or copayment requirements applicable to other physical injury
benefits provided under the health benefit plan.  The bill specifies the
health benefit plans to which these provisions do and do not apply  The
bill requires the commissioner of insurance to adopt rules as necessary to
administer these provisions.   

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001, and applies only to a health benefit plan that is
delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed on or after January 1, 2002.