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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to timely billing requirements for health care service |
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providers. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 146.002(a), (b), and (c), Civil |
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Practice and Remedies Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) or (c), a health |
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care service provider shall bill a patient or other responsible |
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person for services provided to the patient not later than the 90th |
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day [first day of the 11th month] after the date the services are |
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provided. |
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(b) If the health care service provider is required or |
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authorized to directly bill the issuer of a health benefit plan for |
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services provided to a patient, the health care service provider |
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shall bill the issuer of the plan not later than: |
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(1) the date required under any contract between the |
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health care service provider and the issuer of the health benefit |
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plan; or |
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(2) if there is no contract between the health care |
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service provider and the issuer of the health benefit plan, the 90th |
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day [first day of the 11th month] after the date the services are |
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provided. |
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(c) If the health care service provider is required or |
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authorized to directly bill a third party payor operating under |
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federal or state law, including Medicare and the state Medicaid |
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program, the health care service provider shall bill the third |
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party payor not later than: |
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(1) the date required under any contract between the |
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health care service provider and the third party payor or the date |
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required by federal regulation or state rule, as applicable; or |
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(2) if there is no contract between the health care |
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service provider and the third party payor and there is no |
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applicable federal regulation or state rule, the 90th day [first |
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day of the 11th month] after the date the services are provided. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to health care services provided on or after the effective date of |
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this Act. Health care services provided before the effective date |
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of this Act are governed by the law as it existed immediately before |
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the effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect |
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for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |