Texas Human Resources Code § 32.042 Information Required From Health Insurers

Sec. 32.042. INFORMATION REQUIRED FROM HEALTH INSURERS. (a) An insurer shall maintain a file system that contains:

(1) the name, address, including claim submission address, group policy number, employer's mailing address, social security number, and date of birth of each enrollee, beneficiary, subscriber, or policyholder covered by the insurer; and

(2) the name, address, including claim submission address, and date of birth of each dependent of each enrollee, beneficiary, subscriber, or policyholder covered by the insurer.

(b) The state's Medicaid third-party recovery division shall identify state medical assistance recipients who have third-party health coverage or insurance as provided by this subsection. The commission may:

(1) provide to an insurer Medicaid data tapes that identify medical assistance recipients and request that the insurer identify each enrollee, beneficiary, subscriber, or policyholder of the insurer whose name also appears on the Medicaid data tape; or

(2) request that an insurer provide to the commission identifying information for each enrollee, beneficiary, subscriber, or policyholder of the insurer.

(b-1) An insurer from which the commission requests information under Subsection (b) shall provide that information, except that the insurer is only required to provide the commission with the information maintained under Subsection (a) by the insurer or made available to the insurer from the plan. A plan administrator is subject to Subsection (b) and shall provide information under that subsection to the extent the information is made available to the plan administrator from the insurer or plan.

(c) An insurer may not be required to provide information in response to a request under this section more than once every six months.

(d) An insurer shall provide the information required under Subsection (b)(1) only if the commission certifies that the identified individuals are applicants for or recipients of services under Medicaid or are legally responsible for an applicant for or recipient of Medicaid services.

(e) The commission shall enter into an agreement to reimburse an insurer or plan administrator for necessary and reasonable costs incurred in providing information requested under Subsection (b)(1), not to exceed $5,000 for each data match made under that subdivision. If the commission makes a data match using information provided under Subsection (b)(2), the commission shall reimburse the insurer or plan administrator for reasonable administrative expenses incurred in providing the information. The reimbursement for information under Subsection (b)(2) may not exceed $5,000 for initially producing information with respect to a person, or $200 for each subsequent production of information with respect to the person. The commission may enter into an agreement with an insurer or plan administrator that provides procedures for requesting and providing information under this section. An agreement under this subsection may not be inconsistent with any law relating to the confidentiality or privacy of personal information or medical records. The procedures agreed to under this subsection must state the time and manner the procedures take effect.

(f) Information required to be furnished to the commission under this section is limited to information necessary to determine whether health benefits have been or should have been claimed and paid under a health insurance policy or plan for medical care or services received by an individual for whom Medicaid coverage would otherwise be available.

(g) Information regarding an individual certified to an insurer as an applicant for or recipient of medical assistance may only be used to identify the records or information requested and may not violate the confidentiality of the applicant or recipient. The commission shall establish guidelines not later than the date on which the procedures agreed to under Subsection (e) take effect.

(h) This section applies to a plan administrator in the same manner and to the same extent as an insurer if the plan administrator has the information necessary to comply with the applicable requirement.

(i) In this section:

(1) "Insurer" means a group hospital service corporation, a health maintenance organization, a self-funded or self-insured welfare or benefit plan or program to the extent the regulation of the plan or program is not preempted by federal law, and any other entity that provides health coverage in this state through an employer, union, trade association, or other organization or other source.

(2) "Plan administrator" means a third-party administrator, prescription drug payer or administrator, pharmacy benefit manager, or dental payer or administrator.

Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 816, Sec. 1.01, eff. Sept. 1, 1993. Amended by Acts 1999, 76th Leg., ch. 88, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1999.

Amended by:

Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 349 (S.B. 1188), Sec. 2(b), eff. September 1, 2005.

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1 (S.B. 219), Sec. 4.115, eff. April 2, 2015.

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Last modified: September 28, 2016