79R3417 AJA-F

By:  West                                                         S.B. No. 500



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to prices charged for the provision of health care 
services.       
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 552.001, Insurance Code, as effective 
April 1, 2005, is amended to read as follows:
	Sec. 552.001.  APPLICABILITY OF CHAPTER.  This chapter does 
not apply to the provision of a health care service [to a:
		[(1)  Medicaid or Medicare patient; or                       
		[(2)  medically indigent person who qualifies for a 
sliding fee scale].
	SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only 
to charges for health care services provided on or after the 
effective date of this Act.  Charges for health care services 
provided before the effective date of this Act are 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 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, 2005.