By: Fierro (Senate Sponsor - RodrÃguez) H.B. No. 4559
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 6, 2019;
May 6, 2019, read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal
Justice; May 17, 2019, reported favorably by the following vote:
Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 17, 2019, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to access to a county jail prisoner's health benefits
coverage information for mental health service providers.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 511, Government Code, is amended by
adding Section 511.0098 to read as follows:
Sec. 511.0098. PRISONER HEALTH BENEFITS COVERAGE
INFORMATION; PAYMENT FOR MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. (a) The
commission shall adopt procedures by which a local mental health
authority or other mental health services provider providing
services to a prisoner in a county jail under a contract with the
county may collect the following from a prisoner who receives those
services and is covered by health insurance or other health
benefits coverage:
(1) the name of the policyholder or group contract
holder;
(2) the number of the policy or evidence of coverage;
(3) a copy of the health coverage membership card, if
available; and
(4) any other information necessary for the prisoner
to obtain benefits under the coverage.
(b) A local mental health authority or other mental health
services provider who provides mental health services to a prisoner
under a contract with a county may arrange for the issuer of the
health insurance policy or other health benefits coverage to pay
for those services.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
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