H.B. No. 1396 aims to enhance coverage for mental health conditions and substance use disorders under certain governmental health benefit plans in Texas. The bill amends various sections of the Insurance Code, specifically Section 1355.002(b), which now clarifies that the subchapter applies to basic coverage plans under Chapters 1551, 1575, and 1601, as well as primary care coverage plans under Chapter 1579. Additionally, it specifies that certain types of policies, such as blanket accident and health insurance and short-term travel policies, are exempt from this subchapter. The bill also introduces new provisions regarding compliance enforcement, indicating that trustees or boards of trustees will be responsible for evaluating health benefit plans for treatment limitations.

Furthermore, the bill repeals Section 1355.003(b) and establishes that the changes will only apply to plan years commencing on or after January 1, 2026, ensuring that any plans that began before this date will continue to be governed by the previous law. The effective date for this act is set for September 1, 2025. Overall, the bill seeks to improve mental health and substance use disorder coverage while delineating the responsibilities of various entities in enforcing compliance with these new standards.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Insurance Code 1355.002, Insurance Code 1355.003, Insurance Code 1355.015, Insurance Code 1355.252, Insurance Code 1355.255 (Insurance Code 1355)