By: Carona, Van de Putte S.B. No. 1001 (In the Senate - Filed February 28, 2011; March 16, 2011, read first time and referred to Committee on Business and Commerce; April 11, 2011, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0; April 11, 2011, sent to printer.) COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1001 By: Carona A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the practice of certain professions regulated under the Occupations Code. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Title 2, Occupations Code, is amended by adding Chapter 60 to read as follows: CHAPTER 60. ABILITY TO PRACTICE PROFESSION Sec. 60.001. PURPOSE. The purpose of this chapter is to ensure that a person licensed under Title 3 may practice the person's profession to the full extent authorized by law in accordance with the person's education, training, and licensing. Sec. 60.002. CERTAIN INJUNCTIONS PROHIBITED. A licensing authority created under Title 3 may not institute an action to enjoin a person licensed by another licensing authority created under Title 3 from engaging in certain conduct if that conduct has been determined by the licensing authority that issued the license to be lawful and within the scope of practice authorized by the person's license. Sec. 60.003. COLLABORATION WITH OTHER LICENSEES. In accordance with the provisions of Title 3, a person licensed under a particular chapter of Title 3 is authorized to: (1) collaborate with a person licensed under a different chapter of Title 3 in providing services to a client if each person performs only those services that the person is authorized under state law, rules, or regulations to perform; or (2) use objective or subjective means to analyze, examine, evaluate, or otherwise determine the condition of the person's client for the purpose of: (A) providing services to the client that the person is authorized under state laws, rules, or regulations to provide; or (B) referring the client to an appropriate person licensed under Title 3 for the provision of services needed by the client. Sec. 60.004. AUTHORITY TO FORM CERTAIN ENTITIES AND ASSOCIATIONS. Any person licensed under Subtitle C, Title 3 of this code, may form a partnership, professional association, or professional limited liability company with persons licensed under Subtitle B, Title 3 of this code according to the procedures established in the Business Organizations Code. Sec. 60.005. BILLING AND REIMBURSEMENT FOR SERVICES. (a) A person licensed under Title 3 may use the same billing codes used by a person licensed under Chapter 453 if the billing codes describe services that the person is authorized to provide under state law, rules, or regulations. (b) An entity that reimburses persons licensed under Title 3 for physical modalities and procedures covered under a health benefit plan may not: (1) deny payment or reimbursement for covered physical modalities and procedures because of the type of license held by the person, if the entity allows payment or reimbursement for the same services provided by a person licensed under a different chapter of Title 3, and the services are performed in strict compliance with state laws, rules, and regulations relating to that person's license; (2) make payment or reimbursement for covered physical modalities and procedures that the person is authorized to provide under state law, rules, or regulations contingent on provision of those services by a person licensed under a different chapter of Title 3; or (3) establish other limitations on the provision of covered physical modalities and procedures by persons licensed under a particular chapter of Title 3 to provide those services that would prohibit a covered person from seeking the provision of covered physical modalities and procedures to an equal extent from any person licensed under Title 3 to provide those services. (c) Nothing in this section requires an entity to cover particular services or affects the ability of an entity to determine whether specific procedures for which payment or reimbursement is requested are medically necessary. (d) This section does not apply to workers' compensation insurance coverage as defined by Section 401.011, Labor Code, or a self-insured employee welfare benefit plan subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. Section 1001 et seq.). SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. * * * * *