By Mowery H.B. No. 900 75R2772 SAW-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to requiring health maintenance organizations to provide 1-3 written explanations of reasons for termination of contracts with 1-4 or employment of certain physicians and health care providers. 1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-6 SECTION 1. Section 14, Texas Health Maintenance Organization 1-7 Act (Article 20A.14, Vernon's Texas Insurance Code), is amended by 1-8 adding Subsection (i) to read as follows: 1-9 (i) On request from a physician or provider whose contract 1-10 with or employment by a health maintenance organization has been 1-11 terminated by the health maintenance organization, the health 1-12 maintenance organization shall provide a written explanation of the 1-13 reasons for the termination. 1-14 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997, and 1-15 applies only to the termination by a health maintenance 1-16 organization of a contract with or employment of a physician or 1-17 health care provider that takes effect on or after September 1, 1-18 1997. A termination that takes effect before September 1, 1997, is 1-19 governed by the law in effect at the time the termination takes 1-20 effect, and that law is continued in effect for that purpose. 1-21 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 1-22 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-23 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-24 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-1 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.