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House Bill 473 |
House Author: Solomons |
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Effective: See below |
Senate Sponsor: Van de Putte |
House Bill 473 amends the Labor Code to authorize an insurance carrier to use an informal or voluntary network to obtain a contractual agreement that provides for fees different from those authorized under the fee guidelines of the workers' compensation division of the Texas Department of Insurance, subject to certain requirements. Effective September 1, 2007, such a network must provide certain contact information to the division and report any changes to that information within 30 days after the change takes effect; not later than January 1, 2011, the network must be certified as a workers' compensation health care network. The bill also allows the continuation of such a contractual agreement by an insurance carrier, an authorized agent of the carrier, or a workers' compensation network. In addition, House Bill 473 requires that the benefit review officer presiding at a benefit review conference, rather than other division staff designated by the workers' compensation commissioner, consider a request for an interlocutory order and give the opposing party the opportunity to respond before issuing such an order. The bill's provisions take effect September 1, 2007, except that the provision authorizing a continuation of a contractual agreement takes effect January 1, 2011.