The bill, H.B. No. 2119, amends various sections of the Texas Insurance Code to prohibit health benefit plan issuers from requiring preauthorization for specific medical services and treatments. These include screening mammograms, diagnostic imaging, reconstructive surgeries, inpatient care, diabetes-related equipment and training, bone mass measurements, and diagnostic examinations for enrolled males. Each new subsection added clarifies that while preauthorization is not required, it does not authorize healthcare providers to deliver care outside their licensed scope.

The bill also specifies that these changes will apply only to health benefit plans that are delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, and it is set to take effect on September 1, 2025. The intent of the legislation is to streamline access to necessary medical services for patients while ensuring that healthcare providers operate within their professional licensing boundaries.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Insurance Code 1356.005, Insurance Code 1357.004, Insurance Code 1357.054, Insurance Code 1358.054, Insurance Code 1361.003, Insurance Code 1362.003, Insurance Code 1363.003 (Insurance Code 1361, Insurance Code 1356, Insurance Code 1362, Insurance Code 1363, Insurance Code 1358, Insurance Code 1357)