By Wise, Hunter, Hupp, Noriega, et al. H.B. No. 670
76R937 CMR-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to providing, at no cost, medical records to Texas
1-3 veterans for certain purposes.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 161.202(a), Health and Safety Code, is
1-6 amended to read as follows:
1-7 (a) A health care provider or health care facility may not
1-8 charge a fee for a medical or mental health record requested by a
1-9 patient or former patient, or by an attorney or other authorized
1-10 representative of the patient or former patient, for use in
1-11 supporting an application for disability benefits or other benefits
1-12 or assistance the patient or former patient may be eligible to
1-13 receive based on that patient's or former patient's disability, or
1-14 an appeal relating to denial of those benefits or assistance under:
1-15 (1) Chapter 31, Human Resources Code;
1-16 (2) the state Medicaid program;
1-17 (3) Title II, the federal Social Security Act, as
1-18 amended (42 U.S.C. Section 401 et seq.);
1-19 (4) Title XVI, the federal Social Security Act, as
1-20 amended (42 U.S.C. Section 1382 et seq.); [or]
1-21 (5) Title XVIII, the federal Social Security Act, as
1-22 amended (42 U.S.C. Section 1395 et seq.);
1-23 (6) 38 U.S.C. Section 1101 et seq., as amended; or
1-24 (7) 38 U.S.C. Section 1501 et seq., as amended.
2-1 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-2 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
2-3 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-4 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-5 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-6 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.