By Wise H.B. No. 2340
76R6741 AJA-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to provision of dental insurance benefits through a
1-3 preferred provider benefit plan.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 1(2), Article 3.70-3C, Insurance Code, as
1-6 added by Chapter 1024, Acts of the 75th Legislature, Regular
1-7 Session, 1997, is amended to read as follows:
1-8 (2) "Health insurance policy" means a group or
1-9 individual insurance policy, certificate, or contract providing
1-10 benefits for medical, dental, or surgical expenses incurred as a
1-11 result of an accident or sickness.
1-12 SECTION 2. Section 2, Article 3.70-3C, Insurance Code, as
1-13 added by Chapter 1024, Acts of the 75th Legislature, Regular
1-14 Session, 1997, is amended to read as follows:
1-15 Sec. 2. APPLICATION. This article applies to any preferred
1-16 provider benefit plan in which an insurer provides, through its
1-17 health insurance policy, for the payment of a level of coverage
1-18 which is different from the basic level of coverage provided by the
1-19 health insurance policy if the insured uses a preferred provider.
1-20 [This article does not apply to provisions for dental care benefits
1-21 in any health insurance policy.]
1-22 SECTION 3. Section 3(a), Article 3.70-3C, Insurance Code, as
1-23 added by Chapter 1024, Acts of the 75th Legislature, Regular
1-24 Session, 1997, is amended to read as follows:
2-1 (a) A health insurance policy that includes different
2-2 benefits from the basic level of coverage for the use of preferred
2-3 providers shall not be considered unjust under Article 3.42 of this
2-4 code, or unfair discrimination under Article 21.21-6, as added by
2-5 Chapter 415, Acts of the 74th Legislature, 1995, or Article 21.21-8
2-6 of this code or to violate Subsection (B), Section 2, Chapter 397,
2-7 Acts of the 54th Legislature, 1955 (Article 3.70-2, Vernon's Texas
2-8 Insurance Code), or Article 21.52 of this code, and is not subject
2-9 to the provisions of Article 21.53 of this code, if it meets the
2-10 requirements of this section.
2-11 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999, and
2-12 applies only to an insurance policy that is delivered, issued for
2-13 delivery, or renewed on or after January 1, 2000. A policy
2-14 delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed before January 1, 2000,
2-15 is governed by the law as it existed immediately before the
2-16 effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for
2-17 that purpose.
2-18 SECTION 5. The importance of this legislation and the
2-19 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-20 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-21 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-22 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.