By Uresti                                             H.B. No. 3111
         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 use of Hospitalists.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Section 18A, Texas Health Maintenance
 1-5     Organization Act (Article 20A.18A, Vernon's Texas Insurance Code)
 1-6     is amended to add a new subsection (j) to read as follows:
 1-7           (j)  For purposes of this subsection, "Hospitalist" means a
 1-8     physician who becomes a physician of record at a hospital for a
 1-9     patient of a participating physician and who may return the care of
1-10     the patient to that physician at the end of the hospitalization.  A
1-11     contract between a health maintenance organization and a physician
1-12     shall not require the mandatory use of a hospitalist.
1-13           SECTION 2.  Section 3, Art. 3.70-3C, Insurance Code, is
1-14     amended to add a new subsection (n) to read as follows:
1-15           (n)  For purposes of this subsection, "Hospitalist" means a
1-16     physician who becomes a physician of record at a hospital for a
1-17     patient of a participating physician and who may return the care of
1-18     the patient to that physician at the end of the hospitalization.
1-19     Any insurer which markets or sponsors a preferred provider benefit
1-20     plan in its contracts with a physician shall not require the
1-21     mandatory use of a hospitalist.
 2-1           SECTION 3.  This Act becomes effective September 1, 1999.
 2-2           SECTION 4.  The importance of the legislation and the crowded
 2-3     condition of the calendars in both houses create an emergency and
 2-4     an imperative public necessity that the constitutional rule
 2-5     requiring bills to be read on three several days in each house be
 2-6     suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.