Highlights 77th Texas Legislature - Senate

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Long-Term Care Insurance - H.B. 2482
by Representatives Kitchen and Thompson
Senate Sponsor: Senator Zaffirini
INSURANCE
77 th Texas Legislature
Long-term care is the assistance needed for an extended period for those whose activities, including daily
living, dressing, eating, and bathing, have been impaired by illness, including Alzheimer’s disease.
Directs the commissioner of insurance to adopt rules to stabilize long-term care insurance rates, taking into
consideration nationally recognized models of rate stabilization.
Valet Parking and Liability Insurance - H.B. 2495
by Representative Haggerty
Senate Sponsor: Senator Armbrister
Requires the owner or operator of a valet parking service to provide evidence of financial responsibility.
Requires certain limits of liability for both bodily and property damages for the comprehensive general
liability insurance and the garage insurance.
Health Maintenance Organizations and Network Failures - H.B. 2828
by Representative Smithee
Senate Sponsor: Senator Harris
In spite of legislation passed by the 76 th Legislature regarding health maintenance organizations (HMOs)
and their responsibilities in terms of providing information to physician networks, it was determined during
the interim that more needed to be done to modify the statute.
Modifies provisions relating to the complaint and reporting requirements of a written agreement between a
delegated entity and an HMO and provides penalties for failure to comply with the agreement.
Requires HMOs to provide accurate descriptions of plans and conditions, including restrictions, among
certain conditions, in order to make informed decisions regarding the selection of health care plans.
Requires the description to be in a format understandable, readable, and complete with certain conditions
as prescribed by the commissioner of insurance.
Managed Care Entities to Provide Details of Reimbursement Amounts - H.B. 2831
by Representative Smithee
Senate Sponsor: Senator Sibley
Requires that, on the written request of an out-of-network health care provider, managed care entities
including health maintenance organizations, preferred provider organizations, insurance companies and
other such organizations to provide a written description of the factors considered in determining the
amount of reimbursement that an out-of-network health care provider may receive for goods or services
provided to a person enrolled in or insured under the entity’s managed care plan.
Senate Research Center 178