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