Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3276 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	By: Oliverson, et al. H.B. No. 3276
2		-	(Senate Sponsor - Taylor of Galveston)
3		-	(In the Senate - Received from the House May 3, 2017;
4		-	May 5, 2017, read first time and referred to Committee on Business &
5		-	Commerce; May 15, 2017, reported favorably by the following vote:
6		-	Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 15, 2017, sent to printer.)
7		-	Click here to see the committee vote
	1	+	H.B. No. 3276
8	2
9	3
10		-	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
11	4		AN ACT
12	5		relating to notice of health benefit plan provider network status
13	6		provided by certain freestanding emergency medical care
14	7		facilities.
15	8		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
16	9		SECTION 1. Section 241.252, Health and Safety Code, is
17	10		amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (e) to
18	11		read as follows:
19	12		(b) A facility described by Section 241.251 shall post
20	13		notice that:
21	14		(1) states:
22	15		(A) [(1) that] the facility is a freestanding
23	16		emergency medical care facility;
24	17		(B) [(2) that] the facility charges rates
25	18		comparable to a hospital emergency room and may charge a facility
26	19		fee;
27	20		(C) [(3) that] a facility or a physician
28	21		providing medical care at the facility may not be a participating
29	22		provider in the patient's health benefit plan provider network; and
30	23		(D) [(4) that] a physician providing medical
31	24		care at the facility may bill separately from the facility for the
32	25		medical care provided to a patient; and
33	26		(2) either:
34	27		(A) lists the health benefit plans in which the
35	28		facility is a participating provider in the health benefit plan's
36	29		provider network; or
37	30		(B) states the facility is not a participating
38	31		provider in any health benefit plan provider network.
39	32		(e) Notwithstanding Subsection (c), a facility that is a
40	33		participating provider in one or more health benefit plan provider
41	34		networks complies with Subsection (b)(2) if the facility:
42	35		(1) provides notice on the facility's Internet website
43	36		listing the health benefit plans in which the facility is a
44	37		participating provider in the health benefit plan's provider
45	38		network; and
46	39		(2) provides to a patient written confirmation of
47	40		whether the facility is a participating provider in the patient's
48	41		health benefit plan's provider network.
49	42		SECTION 2. Section 254.155, Health and Safety Code, is
50	43		amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (d) to
51	44		read as follows:
52	45		(a) A facility shall post notice that:
53	46		(1) states:
54	47		(A) [(1) that] the facility is a freestanding
55	48		emergency medical care facility;
56	49		(B) [(2) that] the facility charges rates
57	50		comparable to a hospital emergency room and may charge a facility
58	51		fee;
59	52		(C) [(3) that] a facility or a physician
60	53		providing medical care at the facility may not be a participating
61	54		provider in the patient's health benefit plan provider network; and
62	55		(D) [(4) that] a physician providing medical
63	56		care at the facility may bill separately from the facility for the
64	57		medical care provided to a patient; and
65	58		(2) either:
66	59		(A) lists the health benefit plans in which the
67	60		facility is a participating provider in the health benefit plan's
68	61		provider network; or
69	62		(B) states the facility is not a participating
70	63		provider in any health benefit plan provider network.
71	64		(d) Notwithstanding Subsection (b), a facility that is a
72	65		participating provider in one or more health benefit plan provider
73	66		networks complies with Subsection (a)(2) if the facility:
74	67		(1) provides notice on the facility's Internet website
75	68		listing the health benefit plans in which the facility is a
76	69		participating provider in the health benefit plan's provider
77	70		network; and
78	71		(2) provides to a patient written confirmation of
79	72		whether the facility is a participating provider in the patient's
80	73		health benefit plan's provider network.
81	74		SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
82		-	* * * * *
	75	+	______________________________ ______________________________
	76	+	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
	77	+	I certify that H.B. No. 3276 was passed by the House on May 3,
	78	+	2017, by the following vote: Yeas 133, Nays 10, 1 present, not
	79	+	voting.
	80	+	______________________________
	81	+	Chief Clerk of the House
	82	+	I certify that H.B. No. 3276 was passed by the Senate on May
	83	+	18, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 27, Nays 3.
	84	+	______________________________
	85	+	Secretary of the Senate
	86	+	APPROVED: _____________________
	87	+	Date
	88	+	_____________________
	89	+	Governor