BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 712

By: Cortez

Insurance

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among men in the United States and a significant health care problem due to its high incidence. The bill author has informed the committee that the cost of preventive care screening services may deter or prevent men, especially those in underserved populations, from undergoing tests to detect early-stage prostate cancer. H.B. 712 seeks to address this issue by prohibiting health benefit plans from charging any premium, copayment, deductible, coinsurance, or any other form of cost sharing for a covered benefit under the required coverage for prostate cancer screening.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 712 amends the Insurance Code to prohibit a health benefit plan that provides coverage for an annual diagnostic examination for the detection of prostate cancer as required by state law from charging any premium, copayment, coinsurance, deductible, or any other form of cost sharing for a covered benefit under the required coverage, including a physical examination and, for certain at-risk males, a prostate-specific antigen test.

H.B. 712 revises the applicability of statutory provisions governing health benefit plan coverage for certain tests to detect prostate cancer as follows:

· expands the applicability to include the following:

o a Lloyd's plan;

o a reciprocal and interinsurance exchange;

o a small employer health benefit plan subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Availability Act, including coverage provided through a health group cooperative under that act;

o a standard consumer choice of benefits health benefit plan;

o a basic coverage plan under the Texas Employees Group Benefits Act;

o TRS-Care and TRS-ActiveCare;

o basic coverage under the State University Employees Uniform Insurance Benefits Act;

o group health coverage made available by a school district;

o Medicaid and CHIP;

o a regional or local health care program that contracts with health care providers to provide services directly to the employees of participating small employers and their dependents; and

o a self-funded health benefit plan sponsored by a professional employer organization;

· removes the specification that the provisions apply to a multiple employer welfare arrangement only to the extent permitted by the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974; and

· removes a plan that provides health and accident coverage through a risk pool created under the Texas Political Subdivision Employees Uniform Group Benefits Act from the list of applicable plans.

H.B. 712 applies only to a health benefit plan delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026. A health benefit plan delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed before January 1, 2026, is governed by the law as it existed immediately before the bill's effective date, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose.

If before implementing any provision of this bill a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, the agency affected by the provision must request the waiver or authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the waiver or authorization is granted.

H.B. 712 repeals Section 1575.159, Insurance Code.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2025.