SRC-JFA S.B. 1651 75(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1651
By: Cain
Economic Development
4-16-97
As Filed


DIGEST 

Currently, the Insurance Code defines the term "practitioner" and
designates practitioners that may be recognized by insurers.  Licensed
occupational therapists and licensed physical therapists are not included
in the list of recognized practitioners.  This bill would include licensed
occupational therapists and licensed physical therapists among those
practitioners that may be recognized by insurers.  

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 1651 includes licensed occupational therapists and
licensed physical therapists among those practitioners that may be
recognized by insurers.   

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Article 3.70-2(B), Insurance Code, to require a
provision of an accident or sickness policy, in designating the
practitioners who will or will not be recognized, to use, among other
terms, licensed occupational therapist and licensed physical therapist.
Defines "licensed occupational therapist" and "licensed physical
therapist."   

SECTION 2. Amends Article 21.52(1), Insurance Code, by adding two
appropriately lettered sections, to provide that "occupational therapist"
means a person who is licensed to practice occupational therapy by the
Texas Board of Occupational Examiners; and to provide that "physical
therapist" means a person who practices physical therapy and is licensed
by the Texas Board of Physical Therapy Examiners.   

SECTION 3. Amends Article 21.52(3), Insurance Code, as amended by Chapter
429, Section 2, Acts of the 74th Legislature, 1995, to authorize any
person who is issued, who is a party to, or who is a beneficiary under any
health insurance policy delivered, renewed, or issued for delivery in this
state by any insurance company, association, or organization to which this
article applies, to select, among others, an occupational therapist to
provide the health care services scheduled in the policy which fall within
the scope of the license of that provider; or a physical therapist to
provide the health care services in the policy which fall within the scope
of the license of that provider.  Prohibits the payment or reimbursement
by the insurance company, association, or organization for those services
or procedures in accordance with the payment schedule or the payment
provisions in the policy from being denied because the same were performed
by, among others, an occupational therapist or a physical therapist.
Makes conforming changes.   

SECTION 4. Amends Article 21.52(3), Insurance Code, as amended by Chapter
541, Section 3, Acts of the 74th Legislature, 1995, to authorize any
person who is issued, who is a party to, or who is a beneficiary under any
health insurance policy delivered, renewed, or issued for delivery in this
state by any insurance company, association, or organization to which this
article applies, to select, among others, an occupational therapist to
provide the services scheduled in the policy which fall within the scope
of the license of that occupational therapist; or a physical therapist to
provide the services in the policy which fall within the scope of the
license of that physical therapist.  Makes  conforming changes.   

SECTION 5. Effective date: September 1, 1997.

SECTION 6. Emergency clause.