Bill Text: TX HB180 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to the confidentiality of certain information following the completion of a review conducted by a utilization review agent or an independent review organization.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-04-07 - Left pending in committee [HB180 Detail]

Download: Texas-2015-HB180-Introduced.html
  84R2044 KKR-D
 
  By: Zedler H.B. No. 180
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the confidentiality of certain information following
  the completion of a review conducted by a utilization review agent
  or an independent review organization.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 1305.355, Insurance Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (h) to read as follows:
         (h)  Notwithstanding Section 4202.009(a), following the
  completion of an independent review requested under Subsection (a),
  on written request to the independent review organization, a party
  to the reviewed medical dispute is entitled to the name and
  professional qualifications of any doctor or other health care
  practitioner used to perform the independent review.
         SECTION 2.  Section 4201.557, Insurance Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 4201.557.  REQUIREMENT TO MAINTAIN DATA IN CONFIDENTIAL
  MANNER. (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (b), a [A]
  utilization review agent shall maintain all data concerning a
  patient or physician or other health care provider in a
  confidential manner that prevents unauthorized disclosure to a
  third party.
         (b)  Following the completion of a utilization review
  determination, on written request to the utilization review agent,
  a patient, or a patient's representative, is entitled to the name
  and professional qualifications of any physician or other
  individual health care provider who made the utilization review
  determination.
         SECTION 3.  Section 4202.009, Insurance Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 4202.009.  CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. (a) Except as
  provided by Subsection (b), information [Information] that reveals
  the identity of a physician or other individual health care
  provider who makes a review determination for an independent review
  organization is confidential.
         (b)  Following the completion of an independent review
  determination, on written request to the independent review
  organization, a patient, as defined by Section 4201.002, or the
  patient's representative, is entitled to the name and professional
  qualifications of any physician or other individual health care
  provider who made the independent review determination.
         SECTION 4.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
  to a determination made by a utilization review agent or an
  independent review organization with reference to a review that was
  requested on or after the effective date of this Act. A
  determination made by a utilization review agent or an independent
  review organization with reference to a review that was requested
  before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in
  effect immediately before the effective date of this Act, and that
  law is continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
feedback