By Giddings                                           H.B. No. 1778
         Line and page numbers may not match official copy.
         Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E.
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the establishment of a medical advisor at the Texas
 1-3     Worker's Compensation Commission.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Chapter 413, Labor Code, is amended
 1-6     by adding Section 413.0515 to read as follows:
 1-7           Section 413.0515.  MEDICAL ADVISOR.  (a)  The commission
 1-8     shall employ a medical advisor to:
 1-9                 (1)  develop, maintain, and review medical policies and
1-10     fee guidelines, including medical policies regarding the
1-11     determination of impairment ratings; and
1-12                 (2)  review compliance with those medical policies and
1-13     fee guidelines.
1-14           (b)  The medical advisor may establish a panel of physicians
1-15     to assist the medical advisor in performing any review under
1-16     Subsection (a).
1-17           (c)  The medical advisor and a physician serving on a panel
1-18     under Subsection (b) are immune from liability for any act in the
1-19     person's official capacity that is performed in good faith.
1-20     (d)  The medical advisor must be a licensed individual who has
1-21     extensive educational and clinical experience and training in
 2-1     health care including the following:
 2-2                       (a)  diagnosis and treatment;
 2-3                       (b)  surgical intervention;
 2-4                       (c)  rehabilitation; and
 2-5                       (d)  counseling of patients who have suffered an
 2-6     injury or disease.
 2-7           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
 2-8           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-9     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-10     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-11     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-12     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.