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Managed Care legislation front and center ...

A measure to bring real fairness between physicians and managed care entities gained important support this week. State Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa (D – McAllen) filed Senate Bill 1170, the much anticipated fair contracting bill in the Senate, which would require full disclosure by health plans for payment and contract terms so that all physicians can make informed decisions. Rep. John Smithee filed House Bill 2016, the companion to SB1170 in the House last week.

 

It was a late night on Monday for the House Committee on Insurance, which took up three TAIMS supported bills. HB 839 by Rep. Craig Eiland (D - Galveston), came before the committee and aims to stop rental network preferred provider organizations from renting out a physicians contracted discounted rates to third-party payers unless a physician grants written permission. Also heard was, HB 522 by Beverly Woolley (R - Houston) would ensure that health plan ID cars contain minimum, standard information necessary for physicians to counsel their patients on treatment plans. The committee heard HB 1594 by Rep. John Zerwas ( R - Houston ) that promotes expedited credentialing for new physicians in a practice with an established contract with a health plan. Each of these bills was left pending and is expected to be brought back up before the committee very soon.

The Legislative Wheels are Turning ...

The legislative wheels are turning on health care legislation. The Senate Health and Human Services Committee heard several bills this week affecting physicians. One bill worth noting is Senate Bill 164 by Sen. Robert Deuell, MD, (R-Greenville) that would give physicians and other health care providers priority over retail establishments in the distribution of influenza vaccine and other immunizations.

And on the managed care front, three important bills will be heard by the House Insurance Committee on Monday, March 5. They are:  House Bill 839 by Rep. Craig Eiland, (D- Galveston), which would regulated silent PPOs, House Bill 522 by Rep. Beverly Woolley, (R-Houston) that would requires health requires health insurance companies to issue patient identification cards using smart card-type technology; and House Bill 1594 by Rep. John Zerwas, (R-Austin), which would expedite credentialing of physicians providing care under managed care plans.

Bill filing deadline is next week and the pace of bills dropped in the legislative hopper has picked up. One key bill filed this week, by Rep. John Smithee (R-Amarillo) filed House Bill 2016, would provide disclosure of important health plan contract terms and prohibit unfair contracting provisions such as hidden network arrangements and unfair changes to contracts. This bill will protect TAIMS physicians from having to sign unfair and egregious contracts.