| Vote Recommendation | Economic Freedom | Property Rights | Personal Responsibility | Limited Government | Individual Liberty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No | Negative | Neutral | Neutral | Negative | Neutral |
Relating to health benefit plan coverage for early childhood intervention services.
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
HB 843 would require private insurance providers to cover certain services for children with developmental disabilities under the Early Childhood Intervention program, such as speech therapy and specialized skills training among others. The bill additionally provides for an annual coverage limit of $9,000, including case management costs for each child and requires the child to exhaust available coverage under statutory provisions relating to the coverage of certain therapies before receiving early childhood intervention benefits provided by the state.
Texas Action is opposed to HB 843 because it violates our limited government and free market principles. While early childhood intervention programs are important, this bill would create yet another health insurance mandate. We oppose new health insurance mandates which help to drive up the cost of health insurance.