| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to certain requirements for doctors providing |
|
|
professional services under the workers' compensation system. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 408.0043, Labor Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: |
|
|
(c) A doctor who performs peer review, utilization review, |
|
|
or a required medical examination requested by an insurance carrier |
|
|
must: |
|
|
(1) if appropriate to the specific case, hold the same |
|
|
professional certification as the employee's treating doctor; |
|
|
(2) maintain the doctor's primary practice location in |
|
|
this state; and |
|
|
(3) have maintained routine office hours of at least |
|
|
20 hours per week for the treatment of patients for at least three |
|
|
years during the doctor's career. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 408.0044, Labor Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: |
|
|
(c) A dentist who performs peer review, utilization review, |
|
|
or a required dental examination requested by an insurance carrier |
|
|
must: |
|
|
(1) maintain the dentist's primary practice location |
|
|
in this state; and |
|
|
(2) have maintained routine office hours of at least |
|
|
20 hours per week for the treatment of patients for at least three |
|
|
years during the dentist's career. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Section 408.0045, Labor Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: |
|
|
(c) A chiropractor who performs peer review, utilization |
|
|
review, or a required medical examination requested by an insurance |
|
|
carrier must: |
|
|
(1) maintain the chiropractor's primary practice |
|
|
location in this state; and |
|
|
(2) have maintained routine office hours of at least |
|
|
20 hours per week for the treatment of patients for at least three |
|
|
years during the chiropractor's career. |
|
|
SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
|
|
to professional services provided in conjunction with a claim for |
|
|
workers' compensation benefits based on a compensable injury that |
|
|
occurs on or after the effective date of this Act. Professional |
|
|
services provided in conjunction with a claim based on a |
|
|
compensable injury that occurs before that date is governed by the |
|
|
law in effect on the date the compensable injury occurred, and the |
|
|
former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
|
|
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |