HBA-RBT, RBT H.B. 213 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 213 By: Hochberg Civil Practices 2/25/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Some insurance companies will only pay medical bills within predetermined time limits. However, medical providers do not always bill the insurance company within the insurance company's time limits. Consequently, patients are receiving bills that the insurance company refuses to pay because the insurance company maintains the provider did not submit the claim within the specified amount of time. H.B. 213 limits the amount that a health care provider may recover from a patient to what the patient would have paid if the bill had been sent on time. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Title 6, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, by adding Chapter 146, as follows: CHAPTER 146. CERTAIN CLAIMS BY HEALTH CARE SERVICE PROVIDERS BARRED Sec. 146.001. DEFINITION. Defines "health benefit plan" and "health care service provider." Sec. 146.002. TIMELY PATIENT BILLING REQUIRED. Requires a health care service provider to bill a responsible party on or before the first day of the 11th month after the date services are rendered. Provides that the date of billing is the date on which the bill is mailed to the address of the patient or responsible person. Sec. 146.003. CERTAIN CLAIMS BARRED. Prohibits a health care service provider who violates Section 146.002 from recovering from a patient or any other responsible person any amount which the patient would have been entitled to receive under a health benefit plan had the provider complied with Section 146.002. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 3. Makes application of this Act prospective. SECTION 4. Emergency clause.