| TO: | Honorable Robert Duncan, Chair, Senate Committee on State Affairs |
| FROM: | Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB644 by Huffman (Relating to the creation of a standard request form for prior authorization of prescription drug benefits.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted |
The bill would amend the Insurance Code relating to the creation of a standard request form for prior authorization of prescription drug benefits. The bill would require the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) to develop an authorization form to be used for prescription drug benefit and establish rules requiring health benefit plan issuers to use the form and penalties for failure to accept the approved forms. It would also require TDI and health benefit plan issuers to make the form available electronically. The bill would also create a new advisory committee to assist the insurance commissioner in the development of the form.
Based on information provided by the TDI, Teacher Retirement System, Employees Retirement System, Health and Human Services Commission, State Health Services, UT System Administration, and the Texas A&M University System, it is assumed that any costs associated with the implementation of this bill would be absorbed within existing staff and resources.
| Source Agencies: | 323 Teacher Retirement System, 327 Employees Retirement System, 454 Department of Insurance, 529 Health and Human Services Commission, 537 State Health Services, Department of, 710 Texas A&M University System Administrative and General Offices, 720 The University of Texas System Administration
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| LBB Staff: | UP, AG, MW, ER, EMo, JW, LXH
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