By Stiles H.B. No. 1315 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the selection of podiatrists. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 21, Insurance Code, is 1-5 amended by adding Article 21.52C to read as follows: 1-6 Art. 21.52C. SERVICES OF PODIATRIST 1-7 Sec. 1. DEFINITIONS. In this article: 1-8 (1) "Health insurance policy" means an individual, 1-9 group, blanket, or franchise insurance policy, an insurance 1-10 agreement, or a group hospital service contract, including evidence 1-11 of coverage provided by a health maintenance organization under the 1-12 Texas Health Maintenance Organization Act (Chapter 20A, Vernon's 1-13 Texas Insurance Code). 1-14 (2) "Podiatric services" means any services furnished 1-15 to any person for the purpose of treating any disease, disorder, 1-16 physical injury, deformity, or ailment of the human foot. 1-17 (3) "Podiatrist" means any person who furnishes 1-18 podiatric services and who is licensed to practice podiatry by the 1-19 Texas State Board of Podiatry Examiners. 1-20 Sec. 2. SELECTION OF PODIATRIST; INTERFERENCE 1-21 PROHIBITED. No health insurance policy which is delivered, 1-22 renewed, issued for delivery, or otherwise contracted for in this 1-23 state shall: 2-1 (1) prevent any person who is a party to or 2-2 beneficiary of the health insurance policy from selecting the 2-3 podiatrist of his or her choice to furnish the podiatric services 2-4 offered by the policy or interfere with such selection provided the 2-5 podiatrist is licensed to furnish such podiatric services in this 2-6 state; 2-7 (2) deny any podiatrist the right to participate as a 2-8 contracting provider for the policy provided the podiatrist is 2-9 licensed to furnish the podiatric services offered by the policy; 2-10 or 2-11 (3) authorize any person to regulate, interfere with, 2-12 or intervene in any manner in the diagnosis or treatment of a 2-13 patient by a podiatrist for the purpose of treating any disease, 2-14 disorder, physical injury, deformity, or ailment of the human foot 2-15 provided the podiatrist practices within the scope of his or her 2-16 license. 2-17 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the 2-18 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-19 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-20 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-21 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-22 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its 2-23 passage, and it is so enacted.