By Berlanga, Maxey, McDonald, Serna                   H.B. No. 1972
       74R5896 MLR-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to certain health care providers under a managed care
    1-3  Medicaid program.
    1-4        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-5        SECTION 1.  Section 16, Article 4413(502), Revised Statutes,
    1-6  is amended to read as follows:
    1-7        Sec. 16.  ADMINISTRATION OF MEDICAID PROGRAM.  (a)  On
    1-8  approval by the federal government, the commission is the state
    1-9  agency designated to administer federal medicaid assistance funds.
   1-10        (b)  In adopting rules implementing a managed care Medicaid
   1-11  program, the commission shall:
   1-12              (1)  ensure that in developing the provider network
   1-13  extra consideration is given to a health care provider who has
   1-14  traditionally provided care to Medicaid and charity care patients;
   1-15  and
   1-16              (2)  require that a managed care organization include
   1-17  in its provider network, for not less than three years, each
   1-18  primary care physician who:
   1-19                    (A)  previously provided care to Medicaid and
   1-20  charity care patients at a level prescribed by the commission; and
   1-21                    (B)  agrees to accept the organization's standard
   1-22  provider reimbursement rate.
   1-23        SECTION 2.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-24  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
    2-1  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
    2-2  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-3  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    2-4  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    2-5  passage, and it is so enacted.