By Edwards                                            H.B. No. 2287
         77R6374 KLA-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the authority of a hospital to share with certain
 1-3     attending physicians reimbursements for services provided to
 1-4     patients under the medical assistance program.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
 1-7     amended by adding Section 531.055 to read as follows:
 1-8           Sec. 531.055.  SHARING OF MEDICAL ASSISTANCE REIMBURSEMENTS.
 1-9     (a)  In this section, "attending physician" means a physician who
1-10     is selected by or assigned to a patient and has primary
1-11     responsibility for the treatment and care of the patient.
1-12           (b)  The commission by rule shall prescribe a method by which
1-13     a hospital that receives reimbursement for services provided to a
1-14     patient under the medical assistance program under Chapter 32,
1-15     Human Resources Code, may pay a portion of that reimbursement to
1-16     the patient's attending physician.
1-17           SECTION 2. If before implementing any provision of this Act a
1-18     state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a
1-19     federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,
1-20     the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or
1-21     authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the
1-22     waiver or authorization is granted.
1-23           SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.