By: West S.R. No. 1160 SENATE RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, Public employees should be accorded cost-efficient, 1-2 cost-effective, and easily accessible dental and medical benefits, 1-3 especially regarding health maintenance organizations; and 1-4 WHEREAS, Along with private sector employees, public 1-5 employees should have an unequivocal opportunity to select a firm 1-6 of their choice for health and dental insurance coverage; and 1-7 WHEREAS, Employees shall have an opportunity to select from 1-8 more than one provider for optional dental benefits which is an 1-9 employee only paid benefit; and 1-10 WHEREAS, It shall be made clear to providers of health 1-11 coverage that, when persons in need of medical attention are 1-12 required to go to a primary care physician, the primary care 1-13 physician exercise correct and expedient referral for the 1-14 well-being of the patient; now, therefore, be it 1-15 RESOLVED, That the Senate of the State of Texas, 73rd 1-16 Legislature, hereby direct providers of health care to provide all 1-17 necessary information to full-service hospitals and clinics 1-18 throughout the state to ensure that treatment requirements are 1-19 clearly known and that any employee who is refused treatment by a 1-20 State of Texas provider of health or dental benefits shall be able 1-21 to immediately contact the Employees Retirement System of Texas, 1-22 The University of Texas System, and The Texas A&M University System 1-23 and advise them of the problem; and, be it further 2-1 RESOLVED, That the Employees Retirement System of Texas, The 2-2 University of Texas System, and The Texas A&M University System act 2-3 immediately to make every attempt to solve the problem so that no 2-4 covered employee goes untreated; and, be it further 2-5 RESOLVED, That the Employees Retirement System of Texas, The 2-6 University of Texas System, and The Texas A&M University System be 2-7 directed to redouble their efforts to ensure that employees are 2-8 treated fairly in disputes related to their coverage for health or 2-9 dental benefits; and, be it further 2-10 RESOLVED, That complaints by employees or their dependents be 2-11 handled promptly and that the Employees Retirement System of Texas, 2-12 The University of Texas System, and The Texas A&M University System 2-13 provide during the annual enrollment process three 2-14 complaint/suggestion cards for each employee and make additional 2-15 complaint/suggestion cards available to those calling or going to 2-16 the Employees Retirement System of Texas, The University of Texas 2-17 System, and The Texas A&M University System offices; and, be it 2-18 further 2-19 RESOLVED, That the Employees Retirement System of Texas, The 2-20 University of Texas System, and The Texas A&M University System 2-21 compile a report of the number and types of complaints in both 2-22 health and dental coverage and that the report be submitted to the 2-23 Legislature on an annual basis. 2-24 _____________________________________ 2-25 President of the Senate 3-1 I hereby certify that the 3-2 above Resolution was adopted by 3-3 the Senate on May 31, 1993. 3-4 _____________________________________ 3-5 Secretary of the Senate