78R7168 DLF-F

By:  Coleman                                                      H.B. No. 1558



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to coverage of anorexia and bulimia as serious mental 
illnesses under certain group health benefit plans.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 1(1), Article 3.51-14, Insurance Code, 
is amended to read as follows:
		(1)  "Serious mental illness" means the following 
psychiatric illnesses as defined by the American Psychiatric 
Association in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM):
			(A)  schizophrenia;                                                          
			(B)  paranoid and other psychotic disorders;                                 
			(C)  bipolar disorders (hypomanic, manic, 
depressive, and mixed);          
			(D)  major depressive disorders (single episode 
or recurrent);             
			(E)  schizo-affective disorders (bipolar or 
depressive);                   
			(F)  pervasive developmental disorders;                                      
			(G)  obsessive-compulsive disorders; [and]                  
			(H)  depression in childhood and adolescence;                         
			(I)  anorexia; and                                                    
			(J)  bulimia.                                                         
	SECTION 2.  (a)  On or before September 1, 2008, the Sunset 
Advisory Commission shall conduct a study to determine:
		(1)  to what extent the health benefit plan coverage 
required by the change in law made by this Act to Section 1(1), 
Article 3.51-14, Insurance Code, is being used by enrollees in 
health benefit plans to which that article applies; and
		(2)  the impact of the required coverage on the cost of 
those health benefit plans.
	(b)  The Sunset Advisory Commission shall report its 
findings under this section to the legislature on or before January 
1, 2009.
	(c)  The Texas Department of Insurance and any other state 
agency shall cooperate with the Sunset Advisory Commission as 
necessary to implement this section.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003, and 
applies only to a group health benefit plan that is delivered, 
issued for delivery, or renewed on or after January 1, 2004.  A 
group health benefit plan that is delivered, issued for delivery, 
or renewed before January 1, 2004, is governed by the law as it 
existed immediately before the effective date of this Act, and that 
law is continued in effect for that purpose.