Texas · House Bill · 89th Regular Session
HB4018
Texas HB 4018 — Relating to use of artificial intelligence in utilization review conducted for health benefit plans

Status ● Introduced Effective Sep 1, 2025 Passage Likelihood L

WHAT THIS BILL REGULATES · 3 REQUIREMENT TYPES

How Is This Bill Enforced

Enforcement Authority
Enforcement by the Texas Department of Insurance through the Commissioner of Insurance under Chapter 4201 of the Insurance Code. No private right of action is created by this bill. Enforcement is agency-initiated under existing regulatory authority over utilization review agents.
Private Right of Action
No private right of action. Enforcement is exclusive to the designated authority.
Penalties
The bill does not specify independent penalty amounts. Enforcement remedies are those available to the Commissioner of Insurance under existing Chapter 4201 authority, which may include administrative penalties, license revocation or suspension, and corrective action orders.

What This Bill Requires

Verbatim statutory text on the left; plain-language analysis and a per-section checklist on the right. Numbered markers cross-link to the matching checklist row.

Statutory Text
Analysis & Obligations
Ins. Code § 4201.156(a)
Definition of artificial intelligence

(a) In this section, "artificial intelligenceArtificial intelligence"Artificial intelligence" means an engineered or machine-based system that varies in autonomy and may, for explicit or implicit objectives, infer from the input the system receives how to generate outputs that can influence physical or virtual environments.Ins. Code § 4201.156(a)" means an engineered or machine-based system that varies in autonomy and may, for explicit or implicit objectives, infer from the input the system receives how to generate outputs that can influence physical or virtual environments.

Subsection (a) defines artificial intelligence for purposes of the new section. The definition tracks the NIST-influenced formulation used in recent federal and state AI legislation — an engineered or machine-based system that varies in autonomy and infers from inputs how to generate outputs influencing physical or virtual environments. This broad definition captures not only machine-learning models but also rule-based algorithmic tools used in utilization review.

Ins. Code § 4201.156(b)
Requirements for AI-based utilization review tools
Deployer

(b)(1) 1 A utilization review agentUtilization review agentA utilization review agent that uses an artificial intelligence-based algorithm or other software tool for utilization review.Ins. Code § 4201.156(b) that uses an artificial intelligenceArtificial intelligence"Artificial intelligence" means an engineered or machine-based system that varies in autonomy and may, for explicit or implicit objectives, infer from the input the system receives how to generate outputs that can influence physical or virtual environments.Ins. Code § 4201.156(a)-based algorithm or other software tool for utilization review shall ensure that: (1) the algorithm or tool bases its determination on the following information, as applicable: (A) an enrollee's medical or other clinical history; (B) individual clinical circumstances as presented by the provider of record; and (C) other relevant clinical information contained in the enrollee's medical or other clinical record;

(b)(2) 1 the algorithm or tool does not base its determination solely on a group dataset;

(b)(3) 2 the algorithm's or tool's criteria and guidelines comply with this chapter and applicable state and federal law;

(b)(4) 3 the algorithm or tool does not override the decision making of a physician or health care provider;

(b)(5)–(6) 4 the use of the algorithm or tool does not discriminate, directly or indirectly, against enrollees in violation of state or federal law; (6) the algorithm or tool is fairly and equitably applied, including in accordance with any applicable commissioner rules;

(b)(7) 5 the algorithm or tool is available for review and inspection under Section 4201.154;

(b)(8) 6 the use and oversight procedures of the algorithm or tool are disclosed in writing to enrollees in the form and manner provided by commissioner rule;

(b)(9) 7 the algorithm's or tool's performance, use, and outcomes are periodically reviewed and revised to maximize accuracy and reliability;

(b)(10) 8 patient information is not used beyond its intended and stated purpose in accordance with state and federal law;

(b)(11) 9 the algorithm or tool does not directly or indirectly cause harm to the enrollee other than assisting a utilization review agentUtilization review agentA utilization review agent that uses an artificial intelligence-based algorithm or other software tool for utilization review.Ins. Code § 4201.156(b) in making an adverse determination.

Subsection (b) imposes eleven enumerated requirements on utilization review agents that use AI-based algorithms or software tools. The requirements cluster into several functional groups: individualized clinical data inputs and the prohibition on sole reliance on group datasets (paragraphs 1–2); legal compliance and nondiscrimination (paragraphs 3, 5–6); preservation of physician decision-making authority (paragraph 4); regulatory transparency and enrollee disclosure (paragraphs 7–8); periodic performance review (paragraph 9); data use limitation (paragraph 10); and a general no-harm safeguard (paragraph 11).

These requirements operate as continuous conditions on the use of AI in utilization review — not one-time pre-deployment checks. A utilization review agent using AI must ensure ongoing compliance across all eleven criteria.

Compliance actions 9 items
1
Utilization review agentsUtilization review agentA utilization review agent that uses an artificial intelligence-based algorithm or other software tool for utilization review.Ins. Code § 4201.156(b) must ensure that any AI-based algorithm or software tool used in utilization review bases its determinations on the individual enrollee's medical or clinical history, clinical circumstances as presented by the provider of record, and other relevant clinical information from the enrollee's record — and does not base its determination solely on a group dataset.
HC-01.3
2
Utilization review agentsUtilization review agentA utilization review agent that uses an artificial intelligence-based algorithm or other software tool for utilization review.Ins. Code § 4201.156(b) must ensure that the AI algorithm or tool's criteria and guidelines comply with Chapter 4201 of the Insurance Code and all applicable state and federal law.
HC-01
3
Utilization review agentsUtilization review agentA utilization review agent that uses an artificial intelligence-based algorithm or other software tool for utilization review.Ins. Code § 4201.156(b) must ensure that the AI algorithm or tool does not override the decision-making of a physician or health care provider.
HC-01.1
4
Utilization review agentsUtilization review agentA utilization review agent that uses an artificial intelligence-based algorithm or other software tool for utilization review.Ins. Code § 4201.156(b) must ensure that the AI algorithm or tool does not discriminate, directly or indirectly, against enrollees in violation of state or federal law, and that it is fairly and equitably applied in accordance with applicable commissioner rules.
H-02
5
Utilization review agentsUtilization review agentA utilization review agent that uses an artificial intelligence-based algorithm or other software tool for utilization review.Ins. Code § 4201.156(b) must ensure that the AI algorithm or tool is available for review and inspection under Section 4201.154 of the Insurance Code.
HC-01.7
6
Utilization review agentsUtilization review agentA utilization review agent that uses an artificial intelligence-based algorithm or other software tool for utilization review.Ins. Code § 4201.156(b) must disclose in writing to enrollees the use and oversight procedures of the AI algorithm or tool, in the form and manner provided by commissioner rule.
HC-01.6
7
Utilization review agentsUtilization review agentA utilization review agent that uses an artificial intelligence-based algorithm or other software tool for utilization review.Ins. Code § 4201.156(b) must periodically review and revise the AI algorithm or tool's performance, use, and outcomes to maximize accuracy and reliability.
HC-01.4
8
Utilization review agentsUtilization review agentA utilization review agent that uses an artificial intelligence-based algorithm or other software tool for utilization review.Ins. Code § 4201.156(b) must ensure that patient information used by the AI algorithm or tool is not used beyond its intended and stated purpose, in accordance with state and federal law.
HC-01.5
9
Utilization review agentsUtilization review agentA utilization review agent that uses an artificial intelligence-based algorithm or other software tool for utilization review.Ins. Code § 4201.156(b) must ensure that the AI algorithm or tool does not directly or indirectly cause harm to the enrollee other than assisting the utilization review agentUtilization review agentA utilization review agent that uses an artificial intelligence-based algorithm or other software tool for utilization review.Ins. Code § 4201.156(b) in making an adverse determination.
S-01
Ins. Code § 4201.156(c)
Prohibition on AI as sole basis for adverse determinations
Deployer

(c) 10 A utilization review agentUtilization review agentA utilization review agent that uses an artificial intelligence-based algorithm or other software tool for utilization review.Ins. Code § 4201.156(b) may not use an artificial intelligenceArtificial intelligence"Artificial intelligence" means an engineered or machine-based system that varies in autonomy and may, for explicit or implicit objectives, infer from the input the system receives how to generate outputs that can influence physical or virtual environments.Ins. Code § 4201.156(a)-based algorithm or other software tool as the sole basis of a decision to wholly or partly deny, delay, or modify health care services for an enrollee on the basis of medical necessity or appropriateness of health care items and services. Only a physician or licensed health care provider acting in accordance with this chapter may determine medical necessity or appropriateness of health care items and services.

Subsection (c) contains the bill's most critical prohibition: AI-based algorithms and software tools may not serve as the sole basis for a decision to wholly or partly deny, delay, or modify health care services on the basis of medical necessity or appropriateness. The subsection affirmatively reserves medical necessity and appropriateness determinations to licensed physicians or health care providers acting under Chapter 4201. This establishes a mandatory human-in-the-loop requirement for all adverse utilization review determinations where AI is involved.

Compliance actions 1 item
10
Utilization review agentsUtilization review agentA utilization review agent that uses an artificial intelligence-based algorithm or other software tool for utilization review.Ins. Code § 4201.156(b) may not use an AI-based algorithm or software tool as the sole basis for denying, delaying, or modifying health care services on the basis of medical necessity or appropriateness. Only a physician or licensed health care provider acting under Chapter 4201 may determine medical necessity or appropriateness.
HC-01.1
Section 2
Effective date

This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

Section 2 establishes September 1, 2025 as the effective date for all provisions of this Act.

Passage Likelihood

Low
Status Introduced
Chamber No passage
Committee No action
Majority party No
Bipartisan No
Prior session None

Legislative History

2025-03-07 Filed
2025-03-27 Read first time
2025-03-27 Referred to Insurance

Entry Last Reviewed

2026-05-20
AI generated