More potential legislation is falling by the wayside every day …
What is it? Senate Bill 54, sponsored by Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, and eight co-authors.
What would it do? Currently, medical insurers often have caps for payouts for prosthetic limbs for amputees; this bill would remove those caps and have insurance cover up to the value of whatever prosthetic the doctors thinks is most suitable for their patient.
Why would it be good? Because insurance companies only pay a fraction of the replacement cost of a replacement prosthetic device. The Lege’s own analysis says that most insurers cap prosthetic payouts at $2,500 a year, but the average below-the-knee replacement limb costs $7,500. For families with a growing child with a missing limb, this could mean a choice between multiple replacements a year and a massive financial burden or leaving their child with a painful, ill-fitting prosthesis.
What are the odds of it passing? None for the bill, long for the idea. Chair Sen. Robert Duncan, R-Lubbock, has left it at the bottom of the to-do list for his State Affairs Committee. However, the near-identical House Bill 223 managed to get out of the House Insurance Committee. It’s still waiting to get on the House calendar for debate, so there’s still a little hope, but it seems the insurers will win out again.
This article appears in May 4 • 2007.
