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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to telemedicine medical services and telehealth services |
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covered by certain health benefit plans or provided by a |
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pharmacist. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 1455.001(1-a), Insurance Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(1-a) "Health professional" means: |
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(A) a physician; |
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(B) an individual who is: |
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(i) licensed or certified in this state to |
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perform health care services; and |
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(ii) authorized to assist: |
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(a) a physician in providing |
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telemedicine medical services that are delegated and supervised by |
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the physician; or |
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(b) a dentist in providing |
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teledentistry dental services that are delegated and supervised by |
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the dentist; |
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(C) a licensed or certified health professional, |
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including a mental health professional, acting within the scope of |
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the license or certification who does not perform a telemedicine |
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medical service or a teledentistry dental service; [or] |
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(D) a dentist; or |
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(E) an individual who is credentialed to provide |
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qualified mental health professional community services, has |
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demonstrated and documented competency in the work to be performed, |
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and: |
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(i) holds a bachelor's or more advanced |
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degree from an accredited institution of higher education with a |
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minimum number of hours that is equivalent to a major in psychology, |
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social work, medicine, nursing, rehabilitation, counseling, |
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sociology, human growth and development, physician assistant |
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studies, gerontology, special education, educational psychology, |
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early childhood education, or early childhood intervention; |
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(ii) is a registered nurse; or |
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(iii) completes an alternative |
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credentialing process identified by the Health and Human Services |
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Commission. |
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SECTION 2. Section 554.005, Occupations Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (d) to read as follows: |
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(d) In implementing Subsection (a)(3)(C)(iv), the board may |
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not require the in-person counseling of patients. |
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SECTION 3. Chapter 1455, Insurance Code, as amended by this |
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Act, applies only to a health benefit plan delivered, issued for |
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delivery, or renewed on or after January 1, 2024. A health benefit |
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plan delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed before January 1, |
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2024, is governed by the law as it existed immediately before the |
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effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for |
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that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |