On July 22, 2021, the Commissioner of Insurance issued Bulletin B-0020-21, announcing that Gov. Abbott rescinded suspensions of insurance-related statutes and rules issued in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, effective September 20, 2021.
Texas insurance law does not require health benefit plans to provide coverage for a telemedicine medical service or a telehealth service provided by only synchronous or asynchronous audio interaction. The governor suspended this permissive law to the extent necessary to require health benefit plans to provide coverage for a covered telemedicine medical service or a telehealth service provided through an audio-only phone consultation. This suspension ends on September 20, 2021.
Extensions of claim-handling deadlines were established in previous governor action during the COVID-19 pandemic, as grace periods for paying premiums were encouraged. However, those extensions will no longer be available for any claim filed on or after September 20, 2021.
This bulletin applies to all carriers regulated by the state, so employers with plans issued by those carriers should be aware of these changes.
Commissioner’s Bulletin B-0020-21 »
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