BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center	H.B. 1757
86R22066 SCL-D	By: Lucio III (Schwertner)
	Business & Commerce
	5/1/2019
	Engrossed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Pharmacists are highly educated and trained health care professionals. Students enrolled in a doctoral-level pharmacy program receive advanced training on all areas of patient-centered care, medication use systems management, health and wellness, and population-based care. Additionally, students must complete 1,590 hours in direct patient care experiences within a variety of settings.

 

Pharmacists are currently recognized as licensed health care providers under the Texas Occupations Code. However, the Insurance Code does not recognize pharmacists as health care practitioners (TIC Section 1451). The list currently includes physicians, nurses, optometrists, surgical assistants, etc.

 

H.B. 1757 incorporates "pharmacists" onto the list of other health care providers found in the Insurance Code. The bill adds language relating to pharmacists that is very similar to all the other health care providers listed in the Insurance Code.

 

 

H.B. 1757 amends current law relating to the authority of an insured to select a pharmacist under the insured's health insurance policy.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Section 1451.001, Insurance Code, by adding Subdivision (13-a) to define "pharmacist."

 

SECTION 2. Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 1451, Insurance Code, by adding Section 1451.128, as follows:

 

Sec. 1451.128. SELECTION OF PHARMACIST. Authorizes an insured to select a pharmacist to provide the services scheduled in the health insurance policy that are within the scope of the pharmacist�s license to practice pharmacy under Subtitle J (Pharmacy and Pharmacists), Title 3, Occupations Code.

 

SECTION 3. Provides that Section 1451.128, Insurance Code, as added by this Act, applies only to an insurance policy delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed on or after January 1, 2020. Provides that an insurance policy delivered, issued for delivery, or renewed before January 1, 2020, 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 4. Effective date: September 1, 2019.