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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to workers' compensation fee guidelines. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 413.011(d), Labor Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(d) Fee guidelines must be fair and reasonable and designed |
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to ensure the quality of medical care and to achieve effective |
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medical cost control. The guidelines may not provide for payment of |
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a fee in excess of the fee charged for similar treatment of an |
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injured employed individual of an equivalent standard of living and |
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paid by that individual or by someone acting on that individual's |
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behalf. [The commissioner shall consider the increased security of
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payment afforded by this subtitle in establishing the fee
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guidelines.] Notwithstanding Section 413.016 or any other |
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provision of this title, an insurance carrier may pay fees to a |
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health care provider that are inconsistent with the fee guidelines |
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adopted by the division if the insurance carrier or a network under |
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Chapter 1305, Insurance Code, has a contract with the health care |
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provider and that contract includes a specific fee schedule. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to a claim for workers' compensation benefits based on a |
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compensable injury that occurs on or after the effective date of |
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this Act. A claim based on a compensable injury that occurs before |
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that date is governed by the law in effect on the date that the |
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compensable injury occurred, and the former law is continued in |
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effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |