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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the confidentiality of certain information following |
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the completion of a review conducted by an independent review |
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organization. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 1305.355, Insurance Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (h) to read as follows: |
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(h) Notwithstanding Section 4202.009(a), Insurance Code, |
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following the completion of an independent review under Subsection |
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(a), on written request to the utilization review agent or |
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independent review organization, a party to the reviewed medical |
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dispute is entitled to the name and professional qualifications of |
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any doctor or other health care practitioner used to perform the |
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review. |
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SECTION 2. Section 4202.009, Insurance Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 4202.009. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. (a) Except as |
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provided by Subsection (b), information [Information] that reveals |
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the identity of a physician or other individual health care |
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provider who makes a review determination for an independent review |
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organization is confidential. |
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(b) Following the completion of a review determination, on |
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written request to the utilization review agent or independent |
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review organization, a party that sought the independent review of |
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the adverse determination is entitled to the name and professional |
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qualifications of any physician or other individual health care |
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provider who made the review determination. |
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SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to a determination made by an independent review organization with |
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reference to a review that was requested on or after the effective |
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date of this Act. A determination made by an independent review |
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organization with reference to a review that was requested before |
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the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect |
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immediately before the effective date of this Act, and that law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |