By Brimer H.B. No. 2505 76R8699 T A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to medical benefits under the workers' compensation 1-3 system. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Section 408.022, Labor Code, is amended as 1-6 follows: 1-7 Sec. 408.022. Selection of Doctor. (a) except in an 1-8 emergency, the commission shall require an employee to receive 1-9 medical treatment from a doctor chosen from a list of doctors 1-10 approved by the commission. A doctor may perform only those 1-11 procedures that are within the scope of the practice for which the 1-12 doctor is licensed. The employee is entitled to choose the injured 1-13 employees treating doctor from a list of treating doctors and 1-14 providers supplied by the employer or the employers' designee for 1-15 at least the first 100 days after the date the injury is reported 1-16 to the employer. 1-17 (b) If an employee is dissatisfied with the initial 1-18 selection of doctor from the commission's list, after the 1-19 expiration of 100 days, the employee may notify the commission and 1-20 request authority to select an alternate doctor. The notification 1-21 must be in writing stating the reasons for the change, except 1-22 notification may be by telephone when a medical necessity exists 1-23 for immediate change. 1-24 SECTION 2. This act takes effect September 1, 1999, and 2-1 applies to a compensable injury that occurs on or after that 2-2 effective date. 2-3 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 2-4 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-5 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-6 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-7 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.