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79R10820 AJA-F


By:  Keffer of Dallas                                             H.B. No. 3271



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the provision of dental care benefits in certain health 
benefit plans.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Chapter 1451, Insurance Code, as 
effective April 1, 2005, is amended by adding Sections 1451.208 and 
1451.209 to read as follows:
	Sec. 1451.208.  USE OF CERTAIN TERMS.  A health insurance 
policy or employee benefit plan may use any of the following terms, 
or analogous terms, to describe that the policy or plan provides 
payment or reimbursement for services provided by contracting 
provider dentists and noncontracting provider dentists:
		(1)  preferred provider arrangement;                                   
		(2)  preferred provider organization;                                  
		(3)  network arrangement;                                              
		(4)  in-network services;                                              
		(5)  out-of-network services; and                                      
		(6)  participating provider organization.                              
	Sec. 1451.209.  APPLICABILITY OF CERTAIN OTHER LAW.  
Coverage for dental care services under a health insurance policy 
or employee benefit plan is not subject to Section 1503.003.
	SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only 
to a health insurance policy or employee benefit plan delivered, 
issued for delivery, or renewed on or after the effective date of 
this Act.  A policy or plan delivered, issued for delivery, or 
renewed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law 
in effect immediately before that date, and that law is continued in 
effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.