Bill Text: TX HB4523 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to prohibited actions regarding health benefit plan coverage for enrollees who refuse to have an abortion; providing civil penalties.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-03-26 - Referred to Insurance [HB4523 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB4523-Introduced.html
86R16248 SCL-D | ||
By: Swanson | H.B. No. 4523 |
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relating to prohibited actions regarding health benefit plan | ||
coverage for enrollees who refuse to have an abortion; providing | ||
civil penalties. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 1454, Insurance Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 1454.003 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 1454.003. LOSS OF COVERAGE FOR ABORTION REFUSAL | ||
PROHIBITED. (a) A health benefit plan issuer may not condition | ||
continued health benefit coverage for an enrollee on the enrollee | ||
having or require the enrollee to have an abortion regardless of | ||
whether a physician or health care practitioner has diagnosed the | ||
enrollee's unborn child as unviable or having a fetal abnormality. | ||
(b) The attorney general shall monitor enforcement of this | ||
section and establish a complaint system for a person to report a | ||
violation of this section. The attorney general shall notify the | ||
department of a valid complaint. | ||
(c) In addition to a sanction under Chapter 82, an | ||
administrative penalty under Chapter 84, or any other enforcement | ||
authorized under Subtitle B, Title 2, a health benefit plan issuer | ||
that violates this section is subject to a civil penalty in an | ||
amount of not more than $1,000 for each violation and for each day | ||
of a continuing violation. The attorney general may recover | ||
reasonable attorney's fees and costs incurred in bringing a suit to | ||
recover the civil penalty. | ||
SECTION 2. The heading to Chapter 1696, Insurance Code, is | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
CHAPTER 1696. COVERAGE FOR AND REQUIREMENT TO HAVE ELECTIVE | ||
ABORTION; PROHIBITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS | ||
SECTION 3. Chapter 1696, Insurance Code, is amended by | ||
adding Section 1696.003 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 1696.003. LOSS OF COVERAGE FOR ABORTION REFUSAL | ||
PROHIBITED. (a) An issuer of a qualified plan offered through a | ||
health benefit exchange may not condition continued health benefit | ||
coverage for an enrollee on the enrollee having or require the | ||
enrollee to have an abortion regardless of whether a physician or | ||
health care practitioner has diagnosed the enrollee's unborn child | ||
as unviable or having a fetal abnormality. | ||
(b) The attorney general shall monitor enforcement of this | ||
section and establish a complaint system for a person to report a | ||
violation of this section. The attorney general shall notify the | ||
department of a valid complaint. | ||
(c) In addition to a sanction under Chapter 82, an | ||
administrative penalty under Chapter 84, or any other enforcement | ||
authorized under Subtitle B, Title 2, an issuer of a qualified plan | ||
offered through a health benefit exchange that violates this | ||
section is subject to a civil penalty in an amount of not more than | ||
$1,000 for each violation and for each day of a continuing | ||
violation. The attorney general may recover reasonable attorney's | ||
fees and costs incurred in bringing a suit to recover the civil | ||
penalty. | ||
SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to | ||
a health benefit or qualified plan delivered, issued for delivery, | ||
or renewed on or after January 1, 2020. | ||
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |