Is it groundbreaking public policy or a case of the law outpacing the clinical evidence?
The Texas Heart Attack Prevention Bill (HB 1290) mandates that all health benefit providers in the state provide a minimum of $200 per individual every five years to cover the cost of CT coronary artery calcium (CAC) scans or carotid ultrasound studies. The coverage must be offered to men between the ages of 45 and 76 and women between the ages 55 to 76, as well as anyone else who has diabetes or is deemed to be at intermediate risk or higher for developing coronary artery disease per the Framingham risk score. The controversial bill (click here for complete text in PDF file) was signed into law by Gov. Rick Perry on June 23. The first of its kind in the U.S., it was passed in early June by both houses in the Texas Legislature after being introduced twice and withdrawn once. Filed by Rep. René Oliveira (R-Brownsville) on his first day back at work from coronary artery bypass surgery, the legislation was modeled on the Screening for Heart Attack Prevention and Education (SHAPE) task for
