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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the participation of campus-based mental health |
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professionals in certain managed care plans. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 1451, Insurance Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter L to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER L. ACCESS TO CAMPUS-BASED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS |
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Sec. 1451.551. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Campus-based mental health professional" means a |
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licensed clinical social worker, professional counselor, |
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psychological associate, or psychologist who provides mental |
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health care services primarily or exclusively at a campus of a |
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school district or an open-enrollment charter school. |
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(2) "Managed care plan" means a health benefit plan |
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under which health care services are provided to enrollees through |
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contracts with health care providers and that requires enrollees to |
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use participating providers or that provides a different level of |
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coverage for enrollees who use participating providers. The term |
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includes a health benefit plan issued by: |
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(A) a health maintenance organization; |
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(B) a preferred provider benefit plan issuer; or |
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(C) any other entity that issues a health benefit |
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plan, including an insurance company. |
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(3) "Open-enrollment charter school" means a school |
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that has been granted a charter under Subchapter D, Chapter 12, |
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Education Code. |
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(4) "Participating provider" means a health care |
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provider who has contracted with a health benefit plan issuer to |
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provide services to enrollees. |
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(5) "School district" means a public school district |
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created under the laws of this state. |
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Sec. 1451.552. USE OF CAMPUS-BASED MENTAL HEALTH |
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PROFESSIONAL. A managed care plan may not deny participation of a |
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campus-based mental health professional as a participating |
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provider in the plan if the mental health professional meets the |
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plan's credentialing requirements and agrees to the plan's |
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contractual terms. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |