By Brimer                                             H.B. No. 2644
         Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2644:
         By Brimer                                         C.S.H.B. No. 2644
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to payment procedures for charges assessed for certain
 1-3     workers' compensation medical benefits.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Section 413.015(a), Labor Code, is amended to read
 1-6     as  follows:
 1-7           (a)  Insurance carriers shall make appropriate payment of
 1-8     charges for medical services provided under this subtitle.  An
 1-9     insurance carrier may contract with a separate entity to forward
1-10     payments for medical services.  Any payment due the insurance
1-11     carrier from the separate entity must be made in accordance with
1-12     the contract.  The separate entity is subject to the direction of
1-13     the insurance carrier, and the insurance carrier is responsible for
1-14     the actions of the separate entity under this subsection.
1-15           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
1-16     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
1-17     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
1-18     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
1-19     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.