HB 1919 Letter to Perry

June 11, 2007

The Honorable Rick Perry
Governor’s Office
P.O. Box 12428
Austin, TX 78711

Re: House Bill 1919

Dear Governor Perry:

The Texas Hospital Association urges you to sign House Bill 1919 by Rep. Todd Smith relating to health benefit plan coverage for treatment of certain brain injuries. The 80th Texas Legislature overwhelmingly supported House Bill 1919, adopting the conference committee report by a vote of 105 to 34 in the House and 22 to 8 in the Senate. This important law not only supports Texans with brain injuries and their families, but it also ensures that health plan carriers in Texas fulfill their responsibility to provide adequate services for their covered members.

Certain groups who oppose the bill incorrectly have portrayed that health care coverage costs will increase substantially if this bill becomes law. In regard to the mandatory autism requirement, it applies only to children ages 4-6 diagnosed with autism, a very small population.

As you know, the Texas Department of Insurance provided information in an April 24 letter (see attachment) to Rep. Smith regarding the brain injury portion of H.B.1919. The changes in the bill primarily clarify rather than expand the existing acquired brain injury (ABI) mandated benefit requirement. These changes will increase the cost for ABI services approximately $0.50 [fifty cents] per year for single coverage and by only $1.00 per year for each family covered under the plan. This is a small price to pay in relation to the large benefit of getting Texans back into the workforce and becoming productive once again.

THA will appreciate your support of H.B. 1919 which will help Texans with brain injuries who can find themselves underinsured. This bill will help ensure that hard-working Texans paying for insurance get the services they need and purchase.