By Shields H.B. No. 3698 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 allowing Health Maintenance Organization enrollees to 1-3 choose a nonnetwork pediatrician as primary care physician. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. The Texas Health Maintenance Organization Act 1-6 (Chapter 20A, Vernon's Texas Insurance Code), Section 9B is amended 1-7 by adding the following section: 1-8 (s) A parent of a minor enrollee may choose and use any 1-9 pediatrician as the minor enrollee's primary care physician without 1-10 being charged any additional fee or premium. A notification of the 1-11 choice of pediatrician by the parent of an enrollee under this 1-12 subsection must include information specified by the State Board of 1-13 Insurance, including a statement indicating the name of the 1-14 pediatrician, and must be signed by the enrollee and the 1-15 pediatrician interested in serving as the enrollee's primary care 1-16 physician. To be eligible to serve as the enrollee's primary care 1-17 physician, the pediatrician must: 1-18 (1) meet the health maintenance organization's 1-19 requirements for primary care physician participation; and 1-20 (2) be willing to accept the coordination of all of 1-21 the enrollee's health care needs. 2-1 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect beginning September 1, 2-2 1999. 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.