Texas Department of Insurance Sets Insurance Expectations Due to Hurricane

July 16, 2024

On July 9, 2024, the Department of Insurance issued Bulletin # B-0011-24 in response to Hurricane Beryl. This bulletin does not create any new requirements; rather, it lists the agency’s expectations of how carriers should handle claims and premium payments during a time when people may be displaced because of the storm. 

Specifically, the agency asks carriers to: 

• Cover necessary medical equipment, supplies, and services, regardless of when or where the service is provided. 
• Waive penalties, restrictions, and claims denials for necessary out-of-network services. 
• Waive requirements for preauthorization, referrals, notification of hospital admissions, or medical necessity reviews for medical or dental services. 
• Authorize payment to pharmacies for up to a 90-day supply of any prescription medication, regardless of when the prescription was last filled. 
• Allow extra time for healthcare providers and facilities to file claims. 

If carriers (or healthcare providers) need more time to process claims, then they should inform the agency in writing. Similarly, the agency expects carriers to provide policyholders with grace periods to make premium payments (although it does not expect carriers to waive premiums). 

Employers with group health plan policies issued in Texas should be aware of this bulletin. 

Bulletin # B-0011-24