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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to itemized billing for health care services and supplies |
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provided by health care providers. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 185.002, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by amending Subsections (a), (c), and (d) and adding |
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Subsection (c-1) to read as follows: |
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(a) A health care provider that requests payment from a |
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patient after providing a health care service or related supply to |
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the patient shall submit with the request a written, itemized bill |
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of the alleged amount due for [cost of] each service and supply |
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provided to the patient during the patient's visit to the |
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provider. The provider must submit the itemized bill not later |
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than the 30th day after the provider receives a final payment on the |
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provided service or supply from a third party. |
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(c) A health care provider may issue the itemized bill: |
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(1) electronically, including through a patient |
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portal on the provider's Internet website, subject to Subsection |
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(c-1); |
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(2) through a hard copy delivered by mail or a common |
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carrier; or |
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(3) through a hard copy the patient or the patient's |
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designee obtains at the provider's place of business. |
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(c-1) A health care provider that issues an itemized bill to |
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a patient electronically through a patient portal under Subsection |
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(c) shall: |
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(1) determine whether the patient has an active |
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patient profile on the portal, if feasible; and |
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(2) if the health care provider is able to determine |
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that the patient does not have an active patient portal, mail, |
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e-mail, or provide a physical copy of the itemized bill to the |
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patient, according to the patient's preference. |
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(d) A patient is entitled to obtain from the health care |
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provider an itemized bill: |
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(1) subject to Subdivision (3), on request [at any |
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time] after the itemized bill is initially issued under Subsection |
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(a); |
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(2) through the patient's chosen method of issuance in |
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accordance with Subsection (c); and |
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(3) until the date the provider is no longer required |
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to retain an itemized bill under applicable record retention laws |
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or provider policies and procedures regarding retention of patient |
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billing information. |
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SECTION 2. Section 185.003, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 185.003. DISCIPLINARY ACTION BY LICENSING |
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AUTHORITY. (a) The appropriate licensing authority shall take |
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disciplinary action against a health care [the] provider that |
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violates this chapter [for the violation] as if the provider |
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violated an applicable licensing law. |
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(b) Subsection (a) does not apply to a health care provider |
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that in good faith mails a hard copy of an itemized bill to a patient |
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if: |
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(1) the mailed copy is returned as undeliverable or |
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lost; or |
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(2) the address on file for the patient was not current |
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at the time the itemized bill was mailed. |
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SECTION 3. Sections 311.002(b), (c), and (d), Health and |
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Safety Code, are repealed. |
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SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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an itemized bill issued on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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An itemized bill issued before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect on the date the itemized bill was |
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issued, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |