BILL ANALYSIS |
C.S.H.B. 3995 |
By: Romero, Jr. |
Public Health |
Committee Report (Substituted) |
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
A lawsuit alleging that licensed marriage and family therapists are intruding on a physician's exclusive right to diagnose physical and mental conditions has created uncertainty about whether a licensed marriage and family therapist can claim reimbursement from a client's medical insurance. Interested parties point out that if licensed marriage and family therapists are unable to practice given the uncertainty of reimbursement, current shortages of access to mental health care will worsen. C.S.H.B. 3995 seeks to increase access to mental health care for patients in need, provide career stability for existing practitioners and students alike, and reduce insurance premium costs borne by employers.
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CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
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RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
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ANALYSIS
C.S.H.B. 3995 amends the Occupations Code to specify that the practice of marriage and family therapy may include the use of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the International Classification of Diseases, and other diagnostic classification systems and the use of billing codes in connection with those systems for evaluation, classification, treatment, and other activities by a person licensed under the Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Act, in connection with a claim for payment or reimbursement from a health insurance policy issuer or other payor. The bill specifies that the practice of marriage and family therapy does not include prescribing medication, treating a physical disease, or providing any service outside the scope of practice of a licensed marriage and family therapist or licensed marriage and family therapist associate.
C.S.H.B. 3995 amends the Education Code to make a conforming change.
C.S.H.B. 3995 repeals Section 502.002(6), Occupations Code. |
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EFFECTIVE DATE
On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2015.
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COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE
While C.S.H.B. 3995 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and formatted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.
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