Relating to timely billing requirements for health care service providers.

The text as introduced · 596 words

2027S0002-1 11/03/26

By: Paxton
S.B. No. 332

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to timely billing requirements for health care service

providers.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Sections 146.002(a), (b), (c), and (c-1), Civil

Practice and Remedies Code, are amended to read as follows:

(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) or (c) and subject

to Subsection (c-1), a health care service provider shall bill a

patient or other responsible person for services provided to the

patient not later than the 90th day after the later of:

(1) [ first day of the 11th month after ] the date the

services are provided ; or

(2) the date the responsible person is identified to

the health care service provider .

(b) If the health care service provider is required or

authorized to directly bill the issuer of a health benefit plan for

services provided to a patient, the health care service provider

shall bill the issuer of the plan not later than:

(1) the date required under any contract between the

health care service provider and the issuer of the health benefit

plan; or

(2) if there is no contract between the health care

service provider and the issuer of the health benefit plan, not

later than the 90th day after the later of:

(A) [ the first day of the 11th month after ] the

date the services are provided ; or

(B) the date the responsible person is identified

to the health care service provider .

(c) If the health care service provider is required or

authorized to directly bill a third party payor operating under

federal or state law, including Medicare and the state Medicaid

program, the health care service provider shall bill the third

party payor not later than:

(1) the date required under any contract between the

health care service provider and the third party payor or the date

required by federal regulation or state rule, as applicable; or

(2) if there is no contract between the health care

service provider and the third party payor and there is no

applicable federal regulation or state rule, not later than the

90th day after the later of:

(A) [ the first day of the 11th month after ] the

date the services are provided ; or

(B) the date the responsible person is identified

to the health care service provider .

(c-1) If a health care service provider provides services to

a patient that are related to a personal injury claim for which the

patient is represented by an attorney and unless otherwise directed

by the patient or other responsible person, the provider may

satisfy the requirements of Subsection (a) by submitting the bill

to the patient's attorney not later than the 90th day [ first day of

the 11th month ] after the date the services are provided.

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only

to health care services provided on or after the effective date of

this Act. Health care services provided before the effective date

of this Act are governed by the law as it existed immediately before

the effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect

for that purpose.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect September 1, 2027.