Texas 2015 - 84th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3475 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	84R21369 LED-D
2	2	By: Bonnen of Galveston H.B. No. 3475
3	3	Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3475:
4	4	By: Crownover C.S.H.B. No. 3475
5	5
6	6
7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to health care information provided by and notice of
10	10	facility fees charged by certain freestanding emergency medical
11	11	care facilities.
12	12	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
13	13	SECTION 1. Chapter 241, Health and Safety Code, is amended
14	14	by adding Subchapter J to read as follows:
15	15	SUBCHAPTER J. NOTICE OF FACILITY FEES IN CERTAIN FREESTANDING
16	16	EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARE FACILITIES
17	17	Sec. 241.251. APPLICABILITY. This subchapter applies only
18	18	to a freestanding emergency medical care facility, as that term is
19	19	defined by Section 254.001, that is exempt from the licensing
20	20	requirements of Chapter 254 under Section 254.052(8).
21	21	Sec. 241.252. NOTICE OF FEES. (a) In this section,
22	22	"provider network" has the meaning assigned by Section 1456.001,
23	23	Insurance Code.
24	24	(b) A facility described by Section 241.251 shall post
25	25	notice that states:
26	26	(1) that the facility is a freestanding emergency
27	27	medical care facility;
28	28	(2) that the facility charges rates comparable to a
29	29	hospital emergency room and may charge a facility fee;
30	30	(3) that a facility or a physician providing medical
31	31	care at the facility may not be a participating provider in the
32	32	patient's health benefit plan provider network; and
33	33	(4) that a physician providing medical care at the
34	34	facility may bill separately from the facility for the medical care
35	35	provided to a patient.
36	36	(c) The notice required by this section must be posted
37	37	prominently and conspicuously:
38	38	(1) at the primary entrance to the facility;
39	39	(2) in each patient treatment room; and
40	40	(3) at each location within the facility at which a
41	41	person pays for health care services.
42	42	(d) The notice required by this section must be in legible
43	43	print on a sign with dimensions of at least 8.5 inches by 11 inches.
44	44	SECTION 2. Section 254.001, Health and Safety Code, is
45	45	amended by adding Subdivision (6) to read as follows:
46	46	(6) "Provider network" has the meaning assigned by
47	47	Section 1456.001, Insurance Code.
48	48	SECTION 3. Subchapter D, Chapter 254, Health and Safety
49	49	Code, is amended by adding Section 254.155 to read as follows:
50	50	Sec. 254.155. NOTICE OF FEES. (a) A facility shall post
51	51	notice that states:
52	52	(1) that the facility is a freestanding emergency
53	53	medical care facility;
54	54	(2) that the facility charges rates comparable to a
55	55	hospital emergency room and may charge a facility fee;
56	56	(3) that a facility or a physician providing medical
57	57	care at the facility may not be a participating provider in the
58	58	patient's health benefit plan provider network; and
59	59	(4) that a physician providing medical care at the
60	60	facility may bill separately from the facility for the medical care
61	61	provided to a patient.
62	62	(b) The notice required by this section must be posted
63	63	prominently and conspicuously:
64	64	(1) at the primary entrance to the facility;
65	65	(2) in each patient treatment room; and
66	66	(3) at each location within the facility at which a
67	67	person pays for health care services.
68	68	(c) The notice required by this section must be in legible
69	69	print on a sign with dimensions of at least 8.5 inches by 11 inches.
70	70	SECTION 4. Section 324.001(7), Health and Safety Code, is
71	71	amended to read as follows:
72	72	(7) "Facility" means:
73	73	(A) an ambulatory surgical center licensed under
74	74	Chapter 243;
75	75	(B) a birthing center licensed under Chapter 244;
76	76	[or]
77	77	(C) a hospital licensed under Chapter 241; or
78	78	(D) a freestanding emergency medical care
79	79	facility, as defined in Section 254.001, including a freestanding
80	80	emergency medical care facility that is exempt from the licensing
81	81	requirements of Chapter 254 under Section 254.052(8).
82	82	SECTION 5. Section 241.183, Health and Safety Code, as
83	83	added by Chapter 917 (H.B. 1376), Acts of the 83rd Legislature,
84	84	Regular Session, 2013, and as amended by S.B. No. 219, Acts of the
85	85	84th Legislature, Regular Session, 2015, is repealed.
86	86	SECTION 6. (a) Notwithstanding Subchapter J, Chapter 241,
87	87	Health and Safety Code, and Section 254.155, Health and Safety
88	88	Code, as added by this Act, a freestanding emergency medical care
89	89	facility is not required to comply with those provisions until
90	90	January 1, 2016.
91	91	(b) Notwithstanding Chapter 324, Health and Safety Code, as
92	92	amended by this Act, a freestanding emergency medical care facility
93	93	is not required to comply with Chapter 324, Health and Safety Code,
94	94	until January 1, 2016.
95	95	SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.