Art. 21.24-1. Assignment of Health Care Benefit Payments.

Sec. 4. Payment in conformance with assignment.

(a) If a written assignment of benefits payable for health care services is made by a covered person and is obtained by or delivered to the insurer with the claim for benefits, the benefit payment shall be made by the insurer directly to the physician or other health care provider.

(b) If a written assignment of benefits is made and delivered or obtained as provided by this section, the insurer is relieved of the obligation to pay and of any liability for paying the benefits for the health care services to the covered person.

(c) The payment of benefits under an assignment does not relieve the covered person of any contractual responsibility for the payment of deductibles and copayments. A physician or other health care provider may not waive copayments or deductibles by acceptance of an assignment.

Added by Acts 1991, 72nd Leg., ch. 242, Sec. 11.87(a), eff. Sept. 1, 1991. Sec. 2(c) added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 812, Sec. 36, eff. Sept. 1, 1993.