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.