Texas atherosclerosis imaging bill: quiet origins, broad implications.

摘要

A CURIOUS EVENT HAP-pened in Texas last year that went almost unnoticed. With little fanfare, the governor signed into law a new bill1 on June 19,2009, that took effect September 1, mandating insurance coverage for imaging tests used for cardiovascular disease (CVD) screening. Despite the quiet birth of this bill, its impact and the debate surrounding its merits will reverberate for some time. In the early period, a few considerations are worthy of dis-cussion: How did this bill come about? What are the potential implications of this legislation? Where does this bill fit in the broader construct of legislative advocacy for heart disease and other illnesses?