Government employee health plans would have to cover mental health and substance use like any other illness
What it does
Texas already requires certain health plans to cover mental health conditions and substance use disorders on the same terms as physical illness. HB 957 would extend that rule to more governmental health benefit plans, including basic coverage plans under Chapter 1551, basic plans under Chapter 1575, primary care coverage plans under Chapter 1579, and plans that offer basic coverage under Chapter 1601. It would also require those plans to be checked for limits on inpatient care, outpatient care, emergency care, and prescription drugs, with the insurance commissioner, or for some plans the plan's trustee or board, enforcing that check.
What it means for your community
If you get health coverage through a government employee plan, this bill could change how your plan treats mental health and substance use benefits. Your coverage would have to meet the same standard that applies to physical illness, and caps on inpatient care, outpatient care, emergency care, and prescription drugs would get reviewed for compliance. The plans named in the bill are the ones that cover state employees, state university employees, and school district employees and retirees, while coverage you buy on your own from a private insurer would not change. As written, the bill takes effect September 1, 2025, and the changes apply only to plan years that begin on or after January 1, 2026.
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