By:  Madla                                             S.B. No. 781
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
                                       AN ACT
 1-1     relating to contracts between podiatrists and health care plans.
 1-2           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-3           SECTION 1.  Section 3, Article 3.70-3C, Insurance Code, as
 1-4     added by Chapter 1024, Acts of the 75th Legislature, Regular
 1-5     Session, 1997, is amended by adding Subsection (n) to read as
 1-6     follows:
 1-7           (n)  A preferred provider contract between an insurer and a
 1-8     podiatrist licensed by the Texas State Board of Podiatric Medical
 1-9     Examiners must provide that:
1-10                 (1)  the podiatrist may request, and the insurer shall
1-11     provide not later than the 30th day after the date of the request,
1-12     a copy of the coding guidelines and payment schedules applicable to
1-13     the compensation that the podiatrist will receive under the
1-14     contract for services;
1-15                 (2)  the insurer may not unilaterally make material
1-16     retroactive revisions to the coding guidelines and payment
1-17     schedules; and
1-18                 (3)  the podiatrist may furnish x-rays and
1-19     nonprefabricated orthotics covered by the health insurance policy.
1-20           SECTION 2.  Section 18A, Texas Health Maintenance
1-21     Organization Act (Article 20A.18A, Vernon's Texas Insurance Code),
1-22     as added by Chapter 1026, Acts of the 75th Legislature, Regular
1-23     Session, 1997, is amended by adding Subsection (j) to read as
1-24     follows:
 2-1           (j)  A contract between a health maintenance organization and
 2-2     a podiatrist licensed by the Texas State Board of Podiatric Medical
 2-3     Examiners must provide that:
 2-4                 (1)  the podiatrist may request, and the insurer shall
 2-5     provide not later than the 30th day after the date of the request,
 2-6     a copy of the coding guidelines and payment schedules applicable to
 2-7     the compensation that the podiatrist will receive under the
 2-8     contract for services;
 2-9                 (2)  the insurer may not unilaterally make material
2-10     retroactive revisions to the coding guidelines and payment
2-11     schedules; and
2-12                 (3)  the podiatrist may furnish x-rays and
2-13     nonprefabricated orthotics covered by the evidence of coverage.
2-14           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999, and
2-15     applies only to a contract between an insurer or health maintenance
2-16     organization and a podiatrist that is entered into on or after the
2-17     effective date of this Act.  A contract entered into before the
2-18     effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect
2-19     immediately before the effective date of this Act, and that law is
2-20     continued in effect for that purpose.
2-21           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-22     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-23     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-24     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-25     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
2-26                          COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1
 3-1           Amend SB 781 as follows:
 3-2           (1)  On page 1, line 19, after "may" and before "furnish",
 3-3     insert ", practicing within the scope of the law regulating
 3-4     podiatry,".
 3-5           (2)  On page 2, line 13, after "may" and before "furnish",
 3-6     insert ", practicing within the scope of the law regulating
 3-7     podiatry,".
 3-8                                                                  Burnam