Texas House Bill HB1392

Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

• Out of House Committee: 5/5/09

Caption

Relating to required procedures regarding the ranking of physicians by health benefit plan issuers.

Impact

If enacted, HB1392 would amend the way healthcare insurance companies and similar entities manage and communicate the performance of physicians. By demanding that health benefit plan issuers disclose the criteria used for rankings, the bill seeks to ensure that physicians are fully informed of how they are being evaluated. It mandates that physicians be allowed to verify the data used in evaluations prior to public dissemination and guarantees due process throughout the ranking procedure, providing a legal framework that could curb arbitrary or unfounded rankings.

Summary

House Bill 1392 aims to implement standardized procedures for ranking physicians by health benefit plan issuers in Texas. This bill establishes Chapter 1460 of the Insurance Code, detailing the definitions, applicability, and restrictions on how physicians can be assessed based on their performance. The legislation intends to protect physicians from potentially misleading or biased comparisons made by health benefit plans by requiring transparency in the standards and methodologies used for such rankings.

Contention

Opposition to HB1392 might emerge from stakeholders who believe that ranking systems are essential for patients to make informed choices about their healthcare providers. However, supporters argue that the proposed due process and transparency enhancements are necessary to mitigate potential harm caused by inaccurate or biased assessments. The focus on due process rights reinforces the notion that physicians should have fair opportunities to contest evaluations they deem untrue or unfair, a critical aspect of the doctor-patient relationship and overall trust in medical care.