H.B. No. 1163
AN ACT
relating to contracts between certain health care providers and
health benefit plans.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 3(b), Article 3.70-3C, Insurance Code,
as added by Chapter 1024, Acts of the 75th Legislature, Regular
Session, 1997, is amended by adding Subdivision (5) to read as
follows:
(5) An insurer may not withhold a designation to a
podiatrist described by Subsection (p) of this section.
SECTION 2. Section 3, Article 3.70-3C, Insurance Code, as
added by Chapter 1024, Acts of the 75th Legislature, Regular
Session, 1997, is amended by adding Subsection (p) to read as
follows:
(p) Notwithstanding Subsection (b) of this section, an
insurer may not withhold the designation of preferred provider to a
podiatrist licensed by the Texas State Board of Podiatric Medical
Examiners who joins the professional practice of a contracted
preferred provider, applies to the insurer for designation as a
preferred provider, and complies with the terms and conditions of
eligibility to be a preferred provider. A podiatrist designated as
a preferred provider under this subsection must comply with the
terms of the preferred provider contract used by the insurer or the
insurer's network provider.
SECTION 3. Section 843.303, Insurance Code, as effective
June 1, 2003, is amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as
follows:
(c) A health maintenance organization may not deny a
contract to a podiatrist described by Section 843.319.
SECTION 4. Subchapter I, Chapter 843, Insurance Code, as
effective June 1, 2003, is amended by adding Section 843.319 to read
as follows:
Sec. 843.319. CERTAIN REQUIRED CONTRACTS. Notwithstanding
Section 843.304, a health maintenance organization may not deny a
contract to a podiatrist licensed by the Texas State Board of
Podiatric Medical Examiners who joins the professional practice of
a contracted physician or provider, satisfies the application
procedures of the health maintenance organization, and meets the
qualification and credentialing requirements for contracting with
the health maintenance organization.
SECTION 5. Section 3(p), Article 3.70-3C, and Section
843.319, Insurance Code, as added by this Act, apply only to an
application for designation as a preferred provider or an
application to contract with a health maintenance organization
submitted to an insurer or health maintenance organization on or
after September 1, 2003. An application submitted before that date
is governed by the law as it existed immediately before the
effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for
that purpose.
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.
______________________________ ______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1163 was passed by the House on May 2,
2003, by a non-record vote; that the House refused to concur in
Senate amendments to H.B. No. 1163 on May 29, 2003, and requested
the appointment of a conference committee to consider the
differences between the two houses; and that the House adopted the
conference committee report on H.B. No. 1163 on May 31, 2003, by a
non-record vote.
______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
I certify that H.B. No. 1163 was passed by the Senate, with
amendments, on May 28, 2003, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays
0; at the request of the House, the Senate appointed a conference
committee to consider the differences between the two houses; and
that the Senate adopted the conference committee report on H.B. No.
1163 on May 31, 2003, by a viva-voce vote.
______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
APPROVED: __________________
Date
__________________
Governor