Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB490 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	S.B. No. 490
2	2
3	3
4	4	AN ACT
5	5	relating to itemized billing for health care services and supplies
6	6	provided by health care providers.
7	7	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
8	8	SECTION 1. Title 2, Health and Safety Code, is amended by
9	9	adding Subtitle J to read as follows:
10	10	SUBTITLE J. PAYMENT FOR HEALTH CARE SERVICES AND SUPPLIES
11	11	CHAPTER 185. HEALTH CARE BILLING
12	12	Sec. 185.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
13	13	(1) "Debt collection" has the meaning assigned by
14	14	Section 392.001, Finance Code.
15	15	(2) "Health care provider" means a facility licensed,
16	16	certified, or otherwise authorized to provide health care services
17	17	or supplies in this state in the ordinary course of business,
18	18	including a hospital, except the term does not include a
19	19	federally-qualified health center, as defined by 42 U.S.C. Section
20	20	1396d(l)(2)(B).
21	21	(3) "Health care service" means a service a health
22	22	care provider provides to an individual to diagnose, prevent,
23	23	treat, alleviate, cure, or heal a human health condition, illness,
24	24	injury, or disease.
25	25	Sec. 185.002. ITEMIZED BILL REQUIRED. (a) A health care
26	26	provider that requests payment from a patient after providing a
27	27	health care service or related supply to the patient shall submit
28	28	with the request a written, itemized bill of the alleged cost of
29	29	each service and supply provided to the patient during the
30	30	patient's visit to the provider. The provider must submit the
31	31	itemized bill not later than the 30th day after the provider
32	32	receives a final payment on the provided service or supply from a
33	33	third party.
34	34	(b) The itemized bill must include:
35	35	(1) a plain language description of each distinct
36	36	health care service or supply the health care provider provided to
37	37	the patient;
38	38	(2) if the provider sought or is seeking reimbursement
39	39	from a third party, any billing code submitted to the third party
40	40	and the amounts billed to and paid by that third party; and
41	41	(3) the amount the provider alleges is due from the
42	42	patient for each service and supply provided to the patient.
43	43	(c) A health care provider may issue the itemized bill
44	44	electronically, including through a patient portal on the
45	45	provider's Internet website.
46	46	(d) A patient is entitled to obtain from the health care
47	47	provider an itemized bill on request at any time after the itemized
48	48	bill is initially issued under Subsection (a).
49	49	(e) A health care provider may not pursue debt collection
50	50	against a patient for a provided health care service or supply
51	51	unless the provider has complied with this section.
52	52	Sec. 185.003. DISCIPLINARY ACTION BY LICENSING AUTHORITY.
53	53	The appropriate licensing authority shall take disciplinary action
54	54	against the provider for the violation as if the provider violated
55	55	an applicable licensing law.
56	56	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
57	57	______________________________ ______________________________
58	58	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
59	59	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 490 passed the Senate on
60	60	April 27, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that
61	61	the Senate concurred in House amendments on May 16, 2023, by the
62	62	following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
63	63	______________________________
64	64	Secretary of the Senate
65	65	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 490 passed the House, with
66	66	amendments, on May 10, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 136,
67	67	Nays 6, three present not voting.
68	68	______________________________
69	69	Chief Clerk of the House
70	70	Approved:
71	71	______________________________
72	72	Date
73	73	______________________________
74	74	Governor