Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HB1973 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	88R22360 LRM-D
2	2	By: Harris of Williamson, Klick, Frank, H.B. No. 1973
3	3	Campos, Collier, et al.
4	4	Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1973:
5	5	By: Klick C.S.H.B. No. 1973
6	6
7	7
8	8	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
9	9	AN ACT
10	10	relating to itemized billing for health care services and supplies
11	11	provided by health care providers; authorizing an administrative
12	12	penalty.
13	13	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
14	14	SECTION 1. Title 2, Health and Safety Code, is amended by
15	15	adding Subtitle J to read as follows:
16	16	SUBTITLE J. PAYMENT FOR HEALTH CARE SERVICES AND SUPPLIES
17	17	CHAPTER 185. HEALTH CARE BILLING
18	18	Sec. 185.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
19	19	(1) "Debt collection" has the meaning assigned by
20	20	Section 392.001, Finance Code.
21	21	(2) "Health care provider" means an individual or
22	22	facility licensed, certified, or otherwise authorized to provide
23	23	health care services or supplies in this state in the ordinary
24	24	course of business or professional practice, including a physician
25	25	or a hospital.
26	26	(3) "Health care service" means a service a health
27	27	care provider provides to an individual to diagnose, prevent,
28	28	treat, alleviate, cure, or heal a human health condition, illness,
29	29	injury, or disease.
30	30	Sec. 185.002. ITEMIZED BILL REQUIRED. (a) A health care
31	31	provider that requests payment from a patient after providing a
32	32	health care service or related supply to the patient shall submit
33	33	with the request a written, itemized bill of the alleged cost of
34	34	each service and supply provided to the patient during the
35	35	patient's visit to the provider. The provider must submit the
36	36	itemized bill not later than the 30th day after the provider
37	37	receives a final payment on the provided service or supply from a
38	38	third party.
39	39	(b) The itemized bill must include:
40	40	(1) a plain language description of each distinct
41	41	health care service or supply the health care provider provided to
42	42	the patient;
43	43	(2) if the provider sought or is seeking reimbursement
44	44	from a third party, any billing code submitted to the third party
45	45	and the amounts billed to and paid by that third party; and
46	46	(3) the amount the provider alleges is due from the
47	47	patient for each service and supply provided to the patient.
48	48	(c) A health care provider may issue the itemized bill
49	49	electronically, including through a patient portal on the
50	50	provider's Internet website.
51	51	(d) A patient is entitled to obtain from the health care
52	52	provider an itemized bill on request at any time after the itemized
53	53	bill is initially issued under Subsection (a).
54	54	(e) A health care provider may not pursue debt collection
55	55	against a patient for a provided health care service or supply
56	56	unless the provider has complied with this section.
57	57	Sec. 185.003. ADMINISTRATIVE PENALTY AND OTHER
58	58	DISCIPLINARY ACTION BY LICENSING AUTHORITY. The appropriate
59	59	licensing authority shall impose an administrative penalty against
60	60	a health care provider that violates this chapter in the amount of
61	61	$1,000 for each violation and may also take other disciplinary
62	62	action against the provider for the violation as if the provider
63	63	violated an applicable licensing law.
64	64	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.