HB2478 - Relating to the reporting of certain information regarding medically necessary debt on a consumer report.

      By: Talarico H.B. No. 2478       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the reporting of certain information regarding   medically necessary debt on a consumer report.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 20.05, Business & Commerce Code, is   amended by amending Subsections (a) and (d) to read as follows:          (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a consumer   reporting agency may not furnish a consumer report containing   information related to:                (1)  a case under Title 11 of the United States Code or   under the federal Bankruptcy Act in which the date of entry of the   order for relief or the date of adjudication predates the consumer   report by more than 10 years;                (2)  a suit or judgment in which the date of entry   predates the consumer report by more than seven years or the   governing statute of limitations, whichever is longer;                (3)  a tax lien in which the date of payment predates   the consumer report by more than seven years;                (4)  a record of arrest, indictment, or conviction of a   crime in which the date of disposition, release, or parole predates   the consumer report by more than seven years;                (5)  a collection account with a medical industry code,   if the consumer was covered by a health benefit plan at the time of   the event giving rise to the collection and the collection is for an   outstanding balance, after copayments, deductibles, and   coinsurance, owed to an emergency care provider or a facility-based   provider for an out-of-network benefit claim; [ or ]                (6)   medically necessary debt, regardless of the date   on which the medical debt was incurred; or                 (7)   another item or event that predates the consumer   report by more than seven years.          (d)  In this section:                (1)  "Emergency care provider" means a physician,   health care practitioner, facility, or other health care provider   who provides emergency care.                (2)  "Facility" has the meaning assigned by Section   324.001, Health and Safety Code.                (3)  "Facility-based provider" means a physician,   health care practitioner, or other health care provider who   provides health care or medical services to patients of a facility.                (4)  "Health care practitioner" means an individual who   is licensed to provide health care services.                 (5)     "Medically necessary debt" means a debt or alleged   debt arising from the receipt of health care services provided to:                       (A)     diagnose or treat an illness, injury,   condition, or disease or the symptoms of an illness, injury,   condition, or disease that meet accepted standards of medicine; or                       (B)     prevent illness or detect illness at an early   stage, including preventative screening services, vaccines, and   tests.          SECTION 2.  Section 20.05(a), Business & Commerce Code, as   amended by this Act, applies only to a consumer report furnished on   or after the effective date of this Act.  A consumer report   furnished before the effective date of this Act is governed by the   law in effect on the date the report was furnished, and the former   law is continued in effect for that purpose.          SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.