Monitoring the SessionHB 617
Filed
Initial review · graded Nov 10, 2026 · How we grade
relating to health benefit plan coverage of telemedicine, teledentistry, and telehealth services provided by only synchronous or asynchronous audio interaction.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Phone visits count the same as other telehealth. Starting 2028.
The bill removes a limit in the Insurance Code so health plans can no longer use the platform a provider chooses, including audio-only calls, as a reason to limit, deny, or reduce coverage for telemedicine, teledentistry, or telehealth services. It touches health benefit plans, their covered patients, and the preferred or contracted providers who treat patients remotely. Starting with plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2028, a covered service delivered by phone or audio message must be covered the same as other telehealth.
Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 3936 (Died in committee) and 89R HB 1051 (Died in committee). Checked against 88R and 89R only.BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 89R HB 1051 (Died in committee). Filed in 3 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R and 89R only.TRY NO. 3. Filed in 3 sessions: 88R, 89R and 90R. Checked against 88R and 89R only.
90R-HB617 · 2026-11-09
relating to health benefit plan coverage of telemedicine, teledentistry, and telehealth services provided by only synchronous or asynchronous audio interaction.
Phone visits count the same as other telehealth. Starting 2028.
The bill removes a limit in the Insurance Code so health plans can no longer use the platform a provider chooses, including audio-only calls, as a reason to limit, deny, or reduce coverage for telemedicine, teledentistry, or telehealth services. It touches health benefit plans, their covered patients, and the preferred or contracted providers who treat patients remotely. Starting with plans issued or renewed on or after January 1, 2028, a covered service delivered by phone or audio message must be covered the same as other telehealth.
[ ] NONE FOUND
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
No verified beat found.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Not tied to this bill.
The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.
Derived itemized flow · Jul 1, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
$36,400.00
Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 1, 2024 to Oct 1, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
Derived itemized flow · Jul 1, 2024 to Oct 1, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 100978329, 101005348, 101026340, 101056439, 101069774, 101071921.
$21,000.00
Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamDerived itemized flow · Oct 4, 2024 to Oct 9, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 100978329, 101026340, 101056439, 101071921.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
$36,400.00
Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 1, 2024 to Oct 1, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
Derived itemized flow · Jul 1, 2024 to Oct 1, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 100978329, 101005348, 101026340, 101056439, 101069774, 101071921.
$21,000.00
Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamDerived itemized flow · Oct 4, 2024 to Oct 9, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 100978329, 101026340, 101056439, 101071921.
No floor vote loaded for this bill.
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
Analysis of text version I by a super-expensive superintelligence, Nov 10, 2026, against the published rubric.
Filed 3 times: 88R, 89R and now. Checked against 88R and 89R only.
by Rep. Bhojani, same lead author · Died in committee · reworked
Introduced textLast action, Mar 20, 2023: Referred to Insurance
Relating to health benefit plan coverage of telemedicine, teledentistry, and telehealth services provided by only synchronous or asynchronous audio interaction.
Caption, 88R bill history
by Rep. Bhojani, same lead author · Died in committee · same text
Introduced textLast action, Mar 7, 2025: Referred to Insurance
Relating to health benefit plan coverage of telemedicine, teledentistry, and telehealth services provided by only synchronous or asynchronous audio interaction.
Caption, 89R bill history
Texas House · Filed Nov 9, 2026
11/09/2026 H Filed
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Nov 10, 2026 at 10:11 AM CST. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
The text as introduced · 309 words
By: Bhojani H.B. No. 617 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to health benefit plan coverage of telemedicine, teledentistry, and telehealth services provided by only synchronous or asynchronous audio interaction. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 1455.004(a), Insurance Code, is amended to read as follows: (a) A health benefit plan: (1) must provide coverage for a covered health care service or procedure delivered by a preferred or contracted health professional to a covered patient as a telemedicine medical service, teledentistry dental service, or telehealth service on the same basis and to the same extent that the plan provides coverage for the service or procedure in an in-person setting; and (2) may not: (A) exclude from coverage a covered health care service or procedure delivered by a preferred or contracted health professional to a covered patient as a telemedicine medical service, a teledentistry dental service, or a telehealth service solely because the covered health care service or procedure is not provided through an in-person consultation; and (B) [ subject to Subsection (c), ] limit, deny, or reduce coverage for a covered health care service or procedure delivered as a telemedicine medical service, teledentistry dental service, or telehealth service based on the health professional's choice of platform for delivering the service or procedure. SECTION 2. Section 1455.004(c), Insurance Code, is repealed. SECTION 3. The repeal of Section 1455.004(c), Insurance Code, by this Act, applies only to a health benefit plan delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed on or after January 1, 2028. A health benefit plan delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed before January 1, 2028, 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, 2027.