78R8175 JD-D
By: Wentworth S.B. No. 984
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to excepting a benefits appeals committee for a public
self-funded health plan from deliberating the medical or
psychiatric records of an individual applicant for a benefit.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 551, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 551.0785 to read as follows:
Sec. 551.0785. BENEFITS APPEALS COMMITTEE OF PUBLIC
SELF-FUNDED HEALTH PLAN. This chapter does not require a benefits
appeals committee for a public self-funded health plan to conduct
an open meeting to deliberate the medical or psychiatric records of
an individual applicant for a benefit from the plan.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2003.