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Bill

HB 709

Relating to the requirement and study of insurance coverage for serious emotional disturbance of a child.

89th Legislature (2025) Introduced by Senfronia Thompson

Texas would require health insurers to cover serious emotional disturbance treatment for children while studying coverage adequacy and accessibility across the state.

Referred to Insurance
#health--children'sinsurance(i0388) #insurance #texasdepartmentof(v0006) #insurance--health&accident(i0422) #mentalhealth&substanceabuse(i0019) #minors--health&safety(i0533)
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Bill Summary · HB 709

Legislative bill overview

HB 709 would require insurance coverage for serious emotional disturbance (SED) treatment in children and mandate a study on the adequacy and accessibility of such coverage in Texas. The bill directs the Texas Department of Insurance to examine current coverage gaps, costs, and barriers to accessing mental health services for children with serious emotional disturbances.

Why is this important

Mental health conditions in children often go untreated due to insurance coverage limitations and high out-of-pocket costs. Ensuring insurance mandates for SED treatment could improve access to critical early intervention services, potentially reducing long-term impacts on child development, school performance, and family stability. The mandated study would provide data to inform future policy decisions about mental health coverage standards.

Potential points of contention

  • Insurance cost implications: Mandated coverage requirements typically increase insurance premiums, which could raise healthcare costs for consumers and employers
  • Definition clarity: "Serious emotional disturbance" may require precise clinical definition to avoid scope creep or inconsistent application across insurers
  • Study vs. mandate timing: The bill's approach of both requiring coverage and studying it simultaneously could be viewed as premature mandate without sufficient data, or as incomplete without knowing study results first

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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