HBA-MSH C.S.S.B. 1181 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.S.B. 1181
By: Shapleigh
Insurance
5/14/2001
Committee Report (Substituted)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, Texas law does not require the employees of health insurance
companies and related entities to disclose their identity when requested by
a person insured by the company. Senate Bill 1181 requires an employee of a
health benefit plan who is responsible for answering communications and
questions to disclose the employee's full name, job title, and business
address upon oral or written request. 

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. 

ANALYSIS

Senate Bill 1181 amends the Insurance Code to require the issuer of a
health benefit plan (issuer) to provide after an oral or written request by
an insured or enrollee the name or employee identifier, mailing address,
business city and state location, and job title of the employee of the
issuer who is available to the enrollee or insured to respond to
communications and questions from the insured or enrollee relating to
coverages and benefits provided by the health benefit plan to the insured
or enrollee. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001. 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

C.S.S.B. 1181 differs from the original by authorizing the issuer of a
health benefit plan (issuer) to provide the employee identifier rather than
the name of the appropriate employee.  The substitute requires the issuer
to provide the mailing address rather than the business address of the
appropriate employee and to provide the business city and state location.