Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB2573 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R7752 SCF-F
2	2	By: Middleton S.B. No. 2573
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to the participation of optometrists and therapeutic
10	10	optometrists in managed care plans providing vision benefits.
11	11	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12	SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 1451, Insurance Code, is
13	13	amended by adding Section 1451.1545 to read as follows:
14	14	Sec. 1451.1545. PARTICIPATION IN VISION CARE PLAN; EFFECT
15	15	ON OTHER PLANS. (a) In this section, "vision care plan" has the
16	16	meaning assigned by Section 1451.157(a).
17	17	(b) A vision care plan issuer must include on the issuer's
18	18	Internet website a method for a licensed optometrist or therapeutic
19	19	optometrist to submit an application for inclusion as a
20	20	participating provider in the plan. The application:
21	21	(1) may only require an applicant to provide:
22	22	(A) standardized information prescribed by rules
23	23	adopted under Section 1452.052 that is applicable to an optometrist
24	24	or therapeutic optometrist; or
25	25	(B) information available from the Council for
26	26	Affordable Quality Healthcare; and
27	27	(2) must impose the same requirements on each
28	28	optometrist and therapeutic optometrist.
29	29	(c) A vision care plan issuer shall:
30	30	(1) not later than the fifth day after the date the
31	31	issuer receives an application described by Subsection (b) that
32	32	meets the plan's credentialing requirements, electronically
33	33	deliver to the applicant a participating provider contract,
34	34	including applicable reimbursement fee schedules, provider
35	35	handbooks, and provider manuals; and
36	36	(2) not later than the 20th business day after the date
37	37	the applicant accepts the contract, include the applicant as a
38	38	participating provider in the plan.
39	39	(d) A vision care plan issuer must allow an optometrist or
40	40	therapeutic optometrist to be a participating provider to the full
41	41	extent of the optometrist's or therapeutic optometrist's license on
42	42	all of the issuer's:
43	43	(1) vision care plans and other managed care plans
44	44	with vision benefits that have enrollees located in this state; and
45	45	(2) vision panels, as defined by Section 1451.154.
46	46	SECTION 2. Section 1451.157(a)(2), Insurance Code, is
47	47	amended to read as follows:
48	48	(2) "Vision care plan" means a managed care plan that:
49	49	(A) is offered in the form of a limited-scope
50	50	policy, agreement, contract, or evidence of coverage; and
51	51	(B) [that] provides coverage for eye care
52	52	expenses but does not provide comprehensive medical coverage.
53	53	SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
54	54	a contract between a vision care plan issuer and an optometrist or
55	55	therapeutic optometrist entered into or renewed on or after the
56	56	effective date of this Act.
57	57	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
58	58	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
59	59	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
60	60	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
61	61	Act takes effect September 1, 2025.