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House Bill 4341 |
House Author: Truitt |
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Effective: See below |
Senate Sponsor: Shapiro |
House Bill 4341 amends Insurance Code provisions relating to the regulation of discount health programs by the Texas Department of Insurance. The bill prohibits unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices by a discount health care program and the use of certain content by a program operator for the purpose of advertising, marketing, or soliciting a discount health care program. The bill sets out duties required of a program operator and the conditions under which a program operator may market a discount health care program. The bill establishes procedures determining if a person has engaged in the use of unfair methods or deceptive acts or practices, enforcement by the attorney general, acceptance by the department of written assurance of voluntary compliance, and the registration of discount health care program operators. Provisions of the bill relating to enforcement by the attorney general take effect April 1, 2010, and a program operator is not required to register with the department before that date. Except as otherwise provided, the bill takes effect September 1, 2009.