By Giddings                                           H.B. No. 3758
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the approval of doctors who provide medical treatment.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Section 408.023, Labor Code, is amended by
 1-5     amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsection (d) to read
 1-6     as follows:
 1-7           (a)  Each doctor licensed in this state on January 1, 1993,
 1-8     is on the commission's list of approved doctors unless subsequently
 1-9     deleted and not reinstated.  Each doctor who performs services
1-10     under this subtitle and commission rules, including required
1-11     medical examinations under Section 408.004 and medical utilization
1-12     review evaluations for insurance carriers, is required to be on the
1-13     commission's list of approved doctors to perform the service or to
1-14     receive payment for services. The name of a doctor shall be placed
1-15     on the list of approved doctors when that doctor becomes licensed
1-16     in this state.  A doctor not licensed in this state but licensed in
1-17     another state or jurisdiction who treats employees or performs
1-18     services under this subtitle may not [apply to the commission to]
1-19     be included on the list, except that the commission may grant an
1-20     exception to this requirement to ensure that employees who do not
1-21     reside in this state have access to medical care and to allow the
1-22     commission to perform necessary review functions.
1-23           (c)  A doctor may apply in writing to the commission to have
1-24     the doctor's name removed from the commission's list of approved
 2-1     doctors.  A doctor whose name is deleted on request may apply for
 2-2     reinstatement.
 2-3           (d)  The commission shall establish procedures for a doctor
 2-4     to apply for reinstatement to the list.
 2-5           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2000.
 2-6           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
 2-7     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
 2-8     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
 2-9     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-10     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.