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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to disclosure requirements for accident and health |
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coverage and health expense arrangements marketed to individuals. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle A, Title 8, Insurance Code, is amended |
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by adding Chapter 1223 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 1223. MANDATORY DISCLOSURES FOR ALTERNATIVE HEALTH |
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COVERAGE AND HEALTH EXPENSE ARRANGEMENTS |
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SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS |
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Sec. 1223.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "issuer" means |
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a person who markets, sells, issues, or operates an individual |
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health benefit plan or health expense arrangement governed by this |
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chapter. |
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Sec. 1223.002. APPLICABILITY. (a) Except as provided by |
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Subsection (b) or Section 1223.003 but notwithstanding any other |
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law, this chapter applies to a health benefit plan or health expense |
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arrangement marketed to an individual to provide health benefit |
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coverage or pay for health care expenses, including: |
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(1) a health care sharing ministry operated under |
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Chapter 1681; |
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(2) a discount health care program governed by Chapter |
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7001; |
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(3) a direct primary care arrangement governed by |
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Subchapter F, Chapter 162, Occupations Code, but only if sold or |
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marketed by a person other than a physician contracting directly |
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with a patient; or |
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(4) any other plan or arrangement the commissioner |
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determines is or could be marketed to an individual as an |
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alternative to major medical coverage. |
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(b) Except as provided by Section 1223.003 and |
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notwithstanding any other law, this chapter applies to an |
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individual accident and health insurance policy governed by Chapter |
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1201 or a group accident and health insurance policy governed by |
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Chapter 1251 and marketed to an individual if the policy is a fixed |
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indemnity, specified disease, or medical indemnity policy and: |
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(1) the policy is marketed by the insurer or a third |
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party as an alternative to major medical coverage; or |
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(2) the policy: |
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(A) has a range of benefits that is similar to the |
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range of benefits in major medical coverage; and |
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(B) may be sold as stand-alone coverage because |
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the issuer does not require a purchaser to be covered by major |
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medical coverage. |
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Sec. 1223.003. EXCEPTION. This chapter does not apply to a |
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health benefit plan or health expense arrangement if: |
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(1) the issuer is required to submit a summary of |
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benefits and coverage for the plan or arrangement to the United |
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States secretary of health and human services under 42 U.S.C. |
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Section 300gg-15; or |
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(2) the issuer is required to provide a disclosure |
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form for the plan or arrangement under Section 1509.002. |
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Sec. 1223.004. RULES. The commissioner may adopt rules |
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necessary to implement this chapter. Section 2001.0045, Government |
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Code, does not apply to rules adopted under this section. |
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SUBCHAPTER B. DISCLOSURE REQUIRED |
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Sec. 1223.051. DISCLOSURE FORM TEMPLATE. (a) The |
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commissioner by rule shall prescribe a disclosure form template for |
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each type of health benefit plan or health expense arrangement to |
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which this chapter applies. |
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(b) The commissioner shall ensure that the disclosure form |
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template is presented in plain language and in a standardized |
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format designed to facilitate consumer understanding. |
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(c) The commissioner may prescribe as many disclosure form |
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templates as necessary to account for each type of health benefit |
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plan or health expense arrangement. |
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(d) The disclosure form template may include the following |
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information, if applicable, that is tailored to the type of health |
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benefit plan or health expense arrangement described by the |
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template: |
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(1) a statement: |
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(A) of whether the plan or arrangement is |
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insurance; and |
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(B) of what, if any, guarantees are made of |
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payment for or related to health care services; |
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(2) the duration of the coverage or the arrangement; |
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(3) if the plan or arrangement is subject to renewal, a |
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statement: |
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(A) of whether: |
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(i) the plan or arrangement may be renewed |
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at the option of the enrollee or participant with no new |
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underwriting; |
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(ii) the plan or arrangement is only able to |
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be renewed at the option of the issuer after underwriting; or |
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(iii) the plan or arrangement may not be |
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renewed; and |
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(B) of whether, on renewal, the issuer is able |
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to: |
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(i) increase the premium or assess a direct |
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fee, contribution, or similar cost; or |
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(ii) make changes to the plan or |
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arrangement terms, including benefits and limits, based on an |
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individual's health status; |
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(4) a statement that the expiration of the plan or |
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arrangement is not a qualifying life event that would make a person |
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eligible for a special enrollment period, if applicable; |
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(5) a statement that the plan or arrangement may |
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expire outside of the open enrollment period under the Patient |
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Protection and Affordable Care Act (Pub. L. No. 111-148); |
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(6) to the extent the information is available, the |
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dates of the next three open enrollment periods under the Patient |
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Protection and Affordable Care Act (Pub. L. No. 111-148); |
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(7) whether the plan or arrangement contains any |
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limitations or exclusions to preexisting conditions; |
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(8) the maximum dollar amount payable or shareable |
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under the plan or arrangement; |
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(9) the primary cost-sharing features under the plan |
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or arrangement, including a deductible or amount that is not |
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shareable, and the health care services to which the cost-sharing |
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features apply; |
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(10) whether the following health care services are |
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covered or shareable and any limits relevant to that coverage or |
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shareability: |
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(A) prescription drugs; |
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(B) mental health services; |
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(C) substance abuse treatment; |
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(D) maternity care; |
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(E) hospitalization; |
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(F) surgery; |
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(G) emergency health care; and |
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(H) preventive health care; |
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(11) for a plan or arrangement other than a |
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traditional, major medical health benefit plan, information on |
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unique aspects of the plan or arrangement and how it differs from |
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traditional, major medical coverage that the commissioner |
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determines is important to facilitate consumer understanding; and |
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(12) any other information the commissioner |
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determines is important for a purchaser or participant of a plan or |
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arrangement. |
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(e) The commissioner may omit information described by |
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Subsection (d) in a disclosure form template if the information is |
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inapplicable to the type of plan or arrangement for which the |
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template is prescribed. |
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(f) The department shall incorporate the content for an |
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outline of coverage required by Section 1201.108 into the |
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disclosure form template for a policy to which that section |
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applies. |
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Sec. 1223.052. DISCLOSURE FORM REVIEW. (a) Before an |
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issuer may sell, market, or provide an insurance product that is |
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subject to a determination by the commissioner under Section |
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1223.002(a)(4) or that is described by Section 1223.002(b), the |
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issuer shall submit to the department for approval in the manner |
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prescribed by commissioner rule a disclosure form on the product. |
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(b) Except as provided by Subsection (a), an issuer |
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providing a health benefit plan or health expense arrangement |
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described by Section 1223.002(a) to a consumer shall submit to the |
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department for informational purposes in the manner prescribed by |
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commissioner rule a disclosure form for each plan or arrangement |
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offered by the issuer. |
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(c) Except as provided by Subsection (d), the disclosure |
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form must use the disclosure form template prescribed by the |
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commissioner under Section 1223.051 for the health benefit plan or |
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health expense arrangement described by the form. |
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(d) An issuer may modify the disclosure form template for a |
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health benefit plan or health expense arrangement that is not able |
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to be accurately represented by the template. If the issuer |
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modifies the template, the issuer shall clearly identify any |
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changes made and explain the reason for those changes when the |
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issuer submits the form under Subsection (a) or (b). |
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(e) The department shall approve a disclosure form |
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submitted under Subsection (a) if the form uses the appropriate |
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disclosure form template and accurately describes the health |
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benefit plan or health expense arrangement in a manner that is |
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easily understandable to a consumer. |
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Sec. 1223.053. DISCLOSURE TO CONSUMER. (a) An issuer shall |
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provide to a consumer the disclosure form submitted under Section |
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1223.052 along with an application, if applicable: |
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(1) before the earliest of the time that the consumer |
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completes an application, makes an initial premium payment, or |
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makes any other payment in connection with coverage under or |
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participation in the health benefit plan or health expense |
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arrangement; and |
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(2) at the time the policy, certificate, or |
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arrangement is issued or entered into. |
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(b) An issuer shall ensure that a consumer signs the |
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disclosure form before the issuer accepts an application or |
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payment for or issues or enters into the health benefit plan or |
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health expense arrangement. An electronic signature must comply |
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with Chapter 35 and rules adopted under this chapter. |
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Sec. 1223.054. RETENTION. An issuer shall retain a signed |
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disclosure form until the fifth anniversary of the date the issuer |
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receives the form, and the issuer shall make the form available to |
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the department on request. |
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Sec. 1223.055. HEALTH CARE SHARING MINISTRIES. The |
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commissioner shall consult with the attorney general in prescribing |
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the disclosure form template applicable to a health care sharing |
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ministry, and the template must incorporate the notice described by |
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Section 1681.002. |
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Sec. 1223.056. DIRECT PRIMARY CARE ARRANGEMENTS. The |
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commissioner shall consult with the Texas Medical Board in |
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prescribing the disclosure form template applicable to a direct |
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primary care arrangement, and the template must incorporate the |
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disclosure required by Section 162.256, Occupations Code. |
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Sec. 1223.057. ENFORCEMENT. The department may take an |
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enforcement action under Subtitle B, Title 2, against an issuer |
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that violates this chapter. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than September 1, 2022, the |
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commissioner of insurance shall adopt rules necessary to implement |
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Chapter 1223, Insurance Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. Chapter 1223, Insurance Code, as added by this |
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Act, applies only to a health benefit plan or health expense |
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arrangement delivered, issued for delivery, entered into, or |
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renewed on or after September 1, 2022. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |