By: Carona, Van de Putte  S.B. No. 1001
         (In the Senate - Filed February 28, 2011; March 16, 2011,
  read first time and referred to Committee on Business and Commerce;
  April 11, 2011, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
  Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas  6, Nays 0; April 11, 2011,
  sent to printer.)
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1001 By:  Carona
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the practice of certain professions regulated under the
  Occupations Code.
  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Title 2, Occupations Code, is amended by adding
  Chapter 60 to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 60. ABILITY TO PRACTICE PROFESSION
         Sec. 60.001.  PURPOSE. The purpose of this chapter is to
  ensure that a person licensed under Title 3 may practice the
  person's profession to the full extent authorized by law in
  accordance with the person's education, training, and licensing.
         Sec. 60.002.  CERTAIN INJUNCTIONS PROHIBITED. A licensing
  authority created under Title 3 may not institute an action to
  enjoin a person licensed by another licensing authority created
  under Title 3 from engaging in certain conduct if that conduct has
  been determined by the licensing authority that issued the license
  to be lawful and within the scope of practice authorized by the
  person's license.
         Sec. 60.003.  COLLABORATION WITH OTHER LICENSEES. In
  accordance with the provisions of Title 3, a person licensed under a
  particular chapter of Title 3 is authorized to:
               (1)  collaborate with a person licensed under a
  different chapter of Title 3 in providing services to a client if
  each person performs only those services that the person is
  authorized under state law, rules, or regulations to perform; or
               (2)  use objective or subjective means to analyze,
  examine, evaluate, or otherwise determine the condition of the
  person's client for the purpose of:
                     (A)  providing services to the client that the
  person is authorized under state laws, rules, or regulations to
  provide; or
                     (B)  referring the client to an appropriate person
  licensed under Title 3 for the provision of services needed by the
  client.
         Sec. 60.004.  AUTHORITY TO FORM CERTAIN ENTITIES AND
  ASSOCIATIONS. Any person licensed under Subtitle C, Title 3 of this
  code, may form a partnership, professional association, or
  professional limited liability company with persons licensed under
  Subtitle B, Title 3 of this code according to the procedures
  established in the Business Organizations Code.
         Sec. 60.005.  BILLING AND REIMBURSEMENT FOR SERVICES.
  (a)  A person licensed under Title 3 may use the same billing codes
  used by a person licensed under Chapter 453 if the billing codes
  describe services that the person is authorized to provide under
  state law, rules, or regulations.
         (b)  An entity that reimburses persons licensed under Title 3
  for physical modalities and procedures covered under a health
  benefit plan may not:
               (1)  deny payment or reimbursement for covered physical
  modalities and procedures because of the type of license held by the
  person, if the entity allows payment or reimbursement for the same
  services provided by a person licensed under a different chapter of
  Title 3, and the services are performed in strict compliance with
  state laws, rules, and regulations relating to that person's
  license;
               (2)  make payment or reimbursement for covered physical
  modalities and procedures that the person is authorized to provide
  under state law, rules, or regulations contingent on provision of
  those services by a person licensed under a different chapter of
  Title 3; or
               (3)  establish other limitations on the provision of
  covered physical modalities and procedures by persons licensed
  under a particular chapter of Title 3 to provide those services that
  would prohibit a covered person from seeking the provision of
  covered physical modalities and procedures to an equal extent from
  any person licensed under Title 3 to provide those services.
         (c)  Nothing in this section requires an entity to cover
  particular services or affects the ability of an entity to
  determine whether specific procedures for which payment or
  reimbursement is requested are medically necessary.
         (d)  This section does not apply to workers' compensation
  insurance coverage as defined by Section 401.011, Labor Code, or a
  self-insured employee welfare benefit plan subject to the Employee
  Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (29 U.S.C. Section 1001 et
  seq.).
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.
 
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