89R3206 MEW/BEE-D
By: Shaheen H.B. No. 1021
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to telemedicine medical services and telehealth services
covered by certain health benefit plans or provided by a
pharmacist.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 1455.001(1-a), Insurance Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(1-a) "Health professional" means:
(A) a physician;
(B) an individual who is:
(i) licensed or certified in this state to
perform health care services; and
(ii) authorized to assist:
(a) a physician in providing
telemedicine medical services that are delegated and supervised by
the physician; or
(b) a dentist in providing
teledentistry dental services that are delegated and supervised by
the dentist;
(C) a licensed or certified health professional,
including a mental health professional, acting within the scope of
the license or certification who does not perform a telemedicine
medical service or a teledentistry dental service; [or]
(D) a dentist; or
(E) an individual who is credentialed to provide
qualified mental health professional community services, has
demonstrated and documented competency in the work to be performed,
and:
(i) holds a bachelor's or more advanced
degree from an accredited institution of higher education with a
minimum number of hours that is equivalent to a major in psychology,
social work, medicine, nursing, rehabilitation, counseling,
sociology, human growth and development, physician assistant
studies, gerontology, special education, educational psychology,
early childhood education, or early childhood intervention;
(ii) is a registered nurse; or
(iii) completes an alternative
credentialing process identified by the Health and Human Services
Commission.
SECTION 2. Section 554.005, Occupations Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
(d) In implementing Subsection (a)(3)(C)(iv), the board may
not require the in-person counseling of patients.
SECTION 3. Chapter 1455, Insurance Code, as amended by this
Act, applies only to a health benefit plan delivered, issued for
delivery, or renewed on or after January 1, 2026. A health benefit
plan delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed before January 1,
2026, is governed by the law as it existed immediately before the
effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for
that purpose.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.