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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to prohibited practices by a life insurance company |
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relating to an individual's prescription for or obtainment of an |
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opioid antagonist. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 1101, Insurance Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter E to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER E. PROHIBITED PRACTICES RELATING TO PRESCRIPTION FOR OR |
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OBTAINMENT OF OPIOID ANTAGONIST |
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Sec. 1101.201. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "opioid |
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antagonist" means any drug that binds to opioid receptors and |
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blocks or otherwise inhibits the effects of opioids acting on those |
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receptors. |
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Sec. 1101.202. APPLICABILITY OF SUBCHAPTER. This |
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subchapter applies to a life insurance policy: |
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(1) issued or delivered in this state; or |
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(2) issued by a life insurance company organized in |
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this state. |
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Sec. 1101.203. PROHIBITION. (a) Except as provided by |
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Subsection (b), a life insurance company may not, because an |
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individual has been prescribed or has obtained through a standing |
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order an opioid antagonist: |
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(1) deny coverage to the individual; |
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(2) refuse to renew the individual's coverage; |
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(3) cancel the individual's coverage; |
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(4) limit the amount, extent, or kind of coverage |
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available to the individual; or |
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(5) charge the individual or a group to which the |
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individual belongs a rate that is different from the rate charged to |
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other individuals or groups, respectively, for the same coverage. |
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(b) Subsection (a) does not apply to an individual who has a |
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demonstrated history of drug abuse. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |