By Janek                                              H.B. No. 3300

         75R6320 SKB-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to billing disclosure requirements for providers of home

 1-3     and community support services.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 142, Health and Safety

 1-6     Code, is amended by adding Section 142.017 to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 142.017.  RULES FOR DISCLOSURE OF BILLING PROCEDURES.

 1-8     The board by rule shall require a person licensed under this

 1-9     chapter to disclose to a client within a reasonable time determined

1-10     by the board after services are rendered a description of services

1-11     provided to the client, any amount billed to the client for those

1-12     services, and any amount billed to Medicare, Medicaid, or a private

1-13     insurance company for those services.

1-14           SECTION 2.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-15           (b)  The Texas Board of Health shall prescribe rules in

1-16     accordance with Section 142.017, Health and Safety Code, as added

1-17     by this Act, not later than January 1, 1998.

1-18           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-19     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-20     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-21     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-22     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.