BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 334
By: Harris
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Current law allows health plans to provide information on enrollee eligibility information to participating providers telephonically, electronically, or by an Internet website portal. Additionally, most health plans issue enrollee information cards that provide some of this information. The information on these cards changes frequently.
As proposed, S.B. 334 requires health plans make information relating to enrollee demographics, enrollment and eligibility status, benefits, and financial responsibility available to providers by smart card or other similar technology.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 1274.002, Insurance Code, as follows:
Sec. 1274.002. TRANSMISSION OF ENROLLEE ELIGIBILITY AND PAYMENT STATUS. (a) Requires each health benefit plan to make available electronically to each provider information sufficient for the treating or participating provider's to determine at the time of the enrollee's visit certain information concerning the enrollee via smart card technology or other similar technology upon the provider submission of the patient's name, relationship to the primary enrollee, and birth date. Deletes existing text requiring each health benefit plan to make available certain information concerning the enrollee telephonically or by an Internet website portal to each participating provider information maintained in the ordinary course of business.
(b) Makes no change to this Subsection.
SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2007.