| 1 | 1 | | 84R7250 PMO-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Bonnen of Galveston H.B. No. 1667 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the designation of certain physicians as preferred |
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| 8 | 8 | | providers. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Section 1301.051(e), Insurance Code, is amended |
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| 11 | 11 | | to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | (e) An insurer may not withhold a designation to: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (1) a podiatrist described by Section 1301.0521; or |
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| 14 | 14 | | (2) a physician described by Section 1301.0522. |
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| 15 | 15 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 1301, Insurance Code, is |
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| 16 | 16 | | amended by adding Section 1301.0522 to read as follows: |
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| 17 | 17 | | Sec. 1301.0522. DESIGNATION OF CERTAIN PHYSICIANS AS |
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| 18 | 18 | | PREFERRED PROVIDERS. (a) Notwithstanding Section 1301.051, an |
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| 19 | 19 | | insurer may not withhold the designation of preferred provider to a |
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| 20 | 20 | | physician who: |
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| 21 | 21 | | (1) joins the professional practice of a contracted |
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| 22 | 22 | | preferred provider; |
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| 23 | 23 | | (2) applies to the insurer for designation as a |
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| 24 | 24 | | preferred provider; and |
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| 25 | 25 | | (3) complies with the terms and conditions of |
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| 26 | 26 | | eligibility to be a preferred provider. |
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| 27 | 27 | | (b) A physician designated as a preferred provider under |
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| 28 | 28 | | this section must comply with the terms of the preferred provider |
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| 29 | 29 | | contract used by the insurer or the insurer's network provider. |
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| 30 | 30 | | SECTION 3. Section 1301.0522, Insurance Code, as added by |
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| 31 | 31 | | this Act, applies only to an application for a designation as a |
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| 32 | 32 | | preferred provider submitted to an insurer on or after the |
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| 33 | 33 | | effective date of this Act. An application submitted before that |
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| 34 | 34 | | date is governed by the law as it existed immediately before the |
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| 35 | 35 | | effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for |
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| 36 | 36 | | that purpose. |
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| 37 | 37 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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