By Brimer H.B. No. 2644 77R4802 PB-D 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. The separate entity is subject to 1-11 the direction of the insurance carrier, and the insurance carrier 1-12 is responsible for the actions of the separate entity under this 1-13 subsection. 1-14 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 1-15 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 1-16 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this 1-17 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 1-18 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.