| Vote Recommendation | Economic Freedom | Property Rights | Personal Responsibility | Limited Government | Individual Liberty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No | Negative | Neutral | Neutral | Negative | Neutral |
Relating to the definition of emergency care for purposes of certain health benefit plans.
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
HB 2241 would add the phrase "regardless of the final diagnosis of the conditions" to the definition of emergency care as defined in several sections of Insurance Code. If enacted this would mean an insurer would have to reimburse a facility outside their network if an enrollee receives care at a hospital ER, standalone emergency care center or similar facility even if the the enrollee's final diagnosis suggests the enrollee didn't need emergency care.
Texas Action opposes HB 2241 because it violates the limited government and free market principles. While we sympathize with the bill's aim to protect individuals who receive emergency care from shouldering all the costs if they do so mistaking the severity of their condition, as written this bill is simply too broad. It would force insurers to shoulder the costs of a person who habitually uses the ER as their primary care, regardless of the final diagnosis of their condition.