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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to health care information provided by certain |
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freestanding emergency medical care facilities. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 241.252, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) A facility described by Section 241.251 shall post |
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notice that states: |
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(1) that the facility is a freestanding emergency |
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medical care facility and not an urgent care center; |
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(2) that the facility charges rates comparable to a |
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hospital emergency room and may charge a facility fee; |
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(3) [that a facility or a physician providing medical
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care at the facility may not be a participating provider in the
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patient's health benefit plan provider network; and
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[(4)] that a physician providing medical care at the |
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facility may bill separately from the facility for the medical care |
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provided to a patient; |
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(4) any facility fee charged by the facility will be |
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disclosed at the time of service to a patient upon request; and |
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(5) either: |
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(A) that the facility does not participate in a |
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provider network; or |
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(B) that the facility participates in a provider |
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network. |
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(6) State and federal laws require health plans to |
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cover emergency services at the in network level of benefits. An |
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out-of-network provider can bill you for amounts in addition to the |
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applicable copay, coinsurance and deductible amounts. Depending on |
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your health benefit plan, you may be responsible for all charges in |
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excess of your health plan's allowable amount for out-of-network |
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providers. |
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SECTION 2. Section 254.155, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) A facility shall post notice that states: |
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(1) that the facility is a freestanding emergency |
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|
medical care facility and not an urgent care center; |
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|
(2) that the facility charges rates comparable to a |
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|
hospital emergency room and may charge a facility fee; |
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(3) [that a facility or a physician providing medical
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|
care at the facility may not be a participating provider in the
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patient's health benefit plan provider network; and
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[(4)] that a physician providing medical care at the |
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facility may bill separately from the facility for the medical care |
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|
provided to a patient; |
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(4) any facility fee charged by the facility will be |
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|
disclosed at the time of service to a patient upon request; and |
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(5) either: |
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(A) that the facility does not participate in a |
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|
provider network; or |
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|
(B) that the facility participates in a provider |
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|
network. |
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|
(6) State and federal laws require health plans to |
|
|
cover emergency services at the in network level of benefits. An |
|
|
out-of-network provider can bill you for amounts in addition to the |
|
|
applicable copay, coinsurance and deductible amounts. Depending on |
|
|
your health benefit plan, you may be responsible for all charges in |
|
|
excess of your health plan's allowable amount for out-of-network |
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|
providers. |
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SECTION 3. Notwithstanding Sections 241.252 and 254.155, |
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Health and Safety Code, as amended by this Act, a freestanding |
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emergency medical care facility is not required to comply with |
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those provisions until January 1, 2018. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |