84R7543 MEW-D
 
  By: Bonnen of Galveston H.B. No. 1691
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to prompt payment of certain physicians and health care
  providers by a preferred provider benefit plan.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 1301.069, Insurance Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 1301.069.  SERVICES PROVIDED BY CERTAIN PHYSICIANS AND
  HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS. The provisions of this chapter relating to
  prompt payment by an insurer of a physician or health care provider
  and to verification of medical care or health care services apply to
  a physician or provider who:
               (1)  is not a preferred provider included in the
  preferred provider network; and
               (2)  provides to an insured:
                     (A)  care related to an emergency or its attendant
  episode of care as required by state or federal law; or
                     (B)  specialty or other medical care or health
  care services at the request of the insurer, [or] a preferred
  provider, or an insured with out-of-network coverage [because the
  services are not reasonably available from a preferred provider who
  is included in the preferred delivery network].
         SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
  to payment of a claim submitted to an insurer for payment on or
  after January 1, 2016. A claim submitted before January 1, 2016, is
  governed by the law as it existed immediately before the effective
  date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for that
  purpose.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.