bill covers telehealth visits when someone’s outside Texas

The text as introduced · 426 words

89R3350 RDR-D

By: Bhojani
H.B. No. 1052

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to health benefit plan coverage of telemedicine,

teledentistry, and telehealth appointments with an originating

site or distant site located outside this state.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 1455.001, Insurance Code, is amended by

amending Subdivision (1-a) and adding Subdivisions (1-b) and (1-c)

to read as follows:

(1-a) "Distant site" means the location where a health

professional provides a telemedicine medical service,

teledentistry dental service, or telehealth service.

(1-b) "Health professional" means:

(A) a physician;

(B) an individual who is:

(i) licensed or certified in this state to

perform health care services; and

(ii) authorized to assist:

(a) a physician in providing

telemedicine medical services that are delegated and supervised by

the physician; or

(b) a dentist in providing

teledentistry dental services that are delegated and supervised by

the dentist;

(C) a licensed or certified health professional

acting within the scope of the license or certification who does not

perform a telemedicine medical service or a teledentistry dental

service; or

(D) a dentist.

(1-c) "Originating site" means the location where an

individual receives a telemedicine medical service, teledentistry

dental service, or telehealth service.

SECTION 2. Section 1455.004, Insurance Code, is amended by

adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:

(e) A health benefit plan must provide coverage for a

covered health care service or procedure delivered as a

telemedicine medical service, teledentistry dental service, or

telehealth service with an originating site or distant site located

outside this state on the same basis and to the same extent that the

plan provides coverage for the service or procedure delivered as a

telemedicine medical service, teledentistry dental service, or

telehealth service with an originating site and distant site

located in this state if:

(1) the individual who receives the service resides

primarily in this state; and

(2) the health professional who provides the service:

(A) is licensed or otherwise authorized to

provide the service in this state; and

(B) has a physical office in this state.

SECTION 3. Section 1455.004, Insurance Code, as amended by

this Act, 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 effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in

effect for that purpose.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.