Texas 2017 85th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1494 Comm Sub / Bill

Filed 04/12/2017

                    By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 1494
 (In the Senate - Filed March 8, 2017; March 20, 2017, read
 first time and referred to Committee on Business & Commerce;
 April 12, 2017, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 9,
 Nays 0; April 12, 2017, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote


 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 AN ACT
 relating to preauthorization and concurrent review of certain
 health care services under the workers' compensation system.
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 SECTION 1.  Section 413.014, Labor Code, is amended by
 amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (c-1) to read as
 follows:
 (c)  The commissioner's rules adopted under this section
 must provide that preauthorization and concurrent review are
 required at a minimum for:
 (1)  spinal surgery, as provided by Section 408.026;
 (2)  work-hardening or work-conditioning services
 [provided by a health care facility that is not credentialed by an
 organization recognized by commissioner rules];
 (3)  inpatient hospitalization, including any
 procedure and length of stay;
 (4)  physical and occupational therapy;
 (5)  outpatient or ambulatory surgical services, as
 defined by commissioner rule; and
 (6)  any investigational or experimental services or
 devices.
 (c-1)  Notwithstanding Subsection (c)(2), the commissioner
 by rule may exempt from preauthorization and concurrent review
 work-hardening or work-conditioning services provided by a health
 care facility that is credentialed by an organization designated by
 commissioner rule.
 SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
 to health care services provided on or after the effective date of
 this Act in conjunction with a claim for workers' compensation
 benefits, regardless of the date on which the compensable injury
 that is the basis of the claim occurred.
 SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
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