HBA-NIK H.B. 1650 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1650
By: Coleman
Insurance
3/4/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the majority of health insurance policies provided in Texas
exclude coverage for injuries or sickness resulting from attempted suicide
or intentionally self-inflicted injury.  H.B. 1650 would modify the
Insurance Code to prohibit insurance companies from excluding coverage of
self-inflicted wounds when minors are involved.  Insurance companies would
be required to cover all self-inflicted wounds that occur in either a
suicide attempt or as a result of a serious mental illness involving a
minor. 

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 (Article 21.53P, Insurance Code) of this bill. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Subchapter E, Chapter 21, Insurance Code, by adding
Article 21.53P, as follows: 

Article. 21.53P. COVERAGE FOR CERTAIN SELF-INFLICTED INJURIES
BY MINORS

Sec. 1. DEFINITIONS.  Defines "enrollee," "health benefit plan," and
"serious mental illness." 

Sec. 2.  SCOPE OF ARTICLE. (a) Provides that this article applies only to a
health benefit plan (plan) that provides benefits for medical or surgical
expenses for an individual or group insurance policy that is offered by
specified providers. 

(b) Sets forth the plans, insurance, and policies to which this article
does not apply. 

Sec. 3.  COVERAGE REQUIRED.  Requires a plan, regardless of whether it
provides mental health coverage, to cover an enrollee for any
self-inflicted injury through age 18 in an attempt to commit suicide,
regardless of the state of the enrollee's mental health or whether injury
results in death of the enrollee. 

Sec. 4.  LIMITATIONS.  Authorizes a plan to limit the amount of coverage
provided under this article to $75, 000 for the lifetime of the enrollee. 

Sec. 5.  DEDUCTIBLE, COINSURANCE, AND  COPAYMENT REQUIREMENTS. Prohibits
the benefits required under this article from being made subject to a
deductible, coinsurance, or copayment requirement (requirements) that
exceeds requirements applicable to other similar benefits provided under
the plan. 

Sec. 6.  Requires the commissioner of insurance to adopt rules as necessary
to administer this article 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 1999.
            Makes application of this Act prospective to a plan delivered,
issued for delivery, or            renewed beginning January 1, 2000.  

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.