76R12291 AJA-F                           
         By Bailey                                             H.B. No. 2883
         Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2883:
         By Wise                                           C.S.H.B. No. 2883
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to contracts between podiatrists and health care plans.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Section 3, Article 3.70-3C, Insurance Code, as
 1-5     added by Chapter 1024, Acts of the 75th Legislature, Regular
 1-6     Session, 1997, is amended by adding Subsection (n) to read as
 1-7     follows:
 1-8           (n)  A preferred provider contract between an insurer and a
 1-9     podiatrist licensed by the Texas State Board of Podiatric Medical
1-10     Examiners must provide that:
1-11                 (1)  the podiatrist may request, and the insurer shall
1-12     provide not later than the 30th day after the date of the request,
1-13     a copy of the coding guidelines and payment schedules applicable to
1-14     the compensation that the podiatrist will receive under the
1-15     contract for services;
1-16                 (2)  the insurer may not unilaterally make material
1-17     retroactive revisions to the coding guidelines and payment
1-18     schedules; and
1-19                 (3)  the podiatrist may furnish x-rays and
1-20     non-prefabricated orthotics covered by the health insurance policy.
1-21           SECTION 2.  Section 18A, Texas Health Maintenance
1-22     Organization Act (Article 20A.18A, Vernon's Texas Insurance Code),
1-23     as added by Chapter 1026, Acts of the 75th Legislature, Regular
1-24     Session, 1997, is amended by adding Subsection (j) to read as
 2-1     follows:
 2-2           (j)  A contract between a health maintenance organization and
 2-3     a podiatrist licensed by the Texas State Board of Podiatric Medical
 2-4     Examiners must provide that:
 2-5                 (1)  the podiatrist may request, and the insurer shall
 2-6     provide not later than the 30th day after the date of the request,
 2-7     a copy of the coding guidelines and payment schedules applicable to
 2-8     the compensation that the podiatrist will receive under the
 2-9     contract for services;
2-10                 (2)  the insurer may not unilaterally make material
2-11     retroactive revisions to the coding guidelines and payment
2-12     schedules; and
2-13                 (3)  the podiatrist may furnish x-rays and
2-14     non-prefabricated orthotics covered by the evidence of coverage.
2-15           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999, and
2-16     applies only to a contract between an insurer or health maintenance
2-17     organization and a podiatrist that is entered into on or after the
2-18     effective date of this Act.  A contract entered into before the
2-19     effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect
2-20     immediately before the effective date of this Act, and that law is
2-21     continued in effect for that purpose.
2-22           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-23     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-24     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-25     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-26     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.