TX SB1156

Prohibits health benefit plan issuers from offering higher reimbursement rates to practitioners conditioned on leaving a nonaffiliated provider to join an affiliated provider owned or controlled by the issuer

Bars issuers from paying affiliated providers more than nonaffiliated providers for the same health care services, though this does not apply to value-based or capitation reimbursement arrangements

Prohibits issuers from encouraging or directing patients to use affiliated providers through online messaging or targeted advertising, with exceptions for providers accepting lower rates, participating in risk-sharing arrangements, or ranked by value-based quality metrics

Prevents issuers from requiring patients to use affiliated providers to receive maximum plan benefits, offering reduced cost-sharing for using affiliated providers, or soliciting prescription transfers to affiliated pharmacies

Applies to individual, group, and various other health benefit plans delivered or renewed on or after January 1, 2026, but excludes Medicaid, CHIP, state employee plans, and workers' compensation coverage