SRC-EPT, TBR S.B. 1181 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterS.B. 1181
By: Shapleigh
Business & Commerce
6/14/2001
Enrolled


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Texas law does not require the employees of health insurance companies and
related entities to disclose their identity when requested by a person
insured by the company.  S.B. 1181 requires an employee of a health benefit
plan to disclose the name or employee identifier, mailing address, business
city and state location, and job title of the employee who is available to
respond to communications and questions relating to coverage and benefits
provided by the health benefit plan, upon oral or written request. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a
state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Chapter 21C, Insurance Code, by adding Article 21.24-3
as follows: 

Art. 21.24-3.  IDENTITY OF EMPLOYEE FOR HEALTH INSURER OR RELATED ENTITY

Sec. 1.  DEFINITION.  Provides that in this article, "health benefit plan"
means a plan that provides benefits for medical or surgical expenses
incurred as a result of a health condition, accident, or sickness,
including an individual, group, blanket, or franchise insurance policy or
insurance agreement, a group hospital service contract, or an individual or
group evidence of coverage or similar coverage document that is offered by
certain entities. 

Sec. 2.  DISCLOSURE REQUIRED.  Requires the health benefit plan, after an
oral or written request by an insured or enrollee of a health benefit plan
for the information, to provide to the insured or enrollee the name or
employee identifier, mailing address, business city and state location, and
job title of the employee of the issuer of the health benefit plan who is
available to the enrollee or insured to respond to communications and
questions from the insured or enrollee relating to coverages and benefits
provided by the health benefit plan to the insured or enrollee. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.