Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas House Bill HB4663 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	H.B. No. 4663
	1	+	By: King of Parker (Senate Sponsor - Fallon) H.B. No. 4663
	2	+	(In the Senate - Received from the House May 6, 2019;
	3	+	May 7, 2019, read first time and referred to Committee on
	4	+	Intergovernmental Relations; May 17, 2019, reported favorably by
	5	+	the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 17, 2019, sent to printer.)
	6	+	Click here to see the committee vote
2	7
3	8
	9	+	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
4	10		AN ACT
5	11		relating to the authority of the Parker County Hospital District to
6	12		employ physicians.
7	13		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
8	14		SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 1085, Special District
9	15		Local Laws Code, is amended by adding Section 1085.0585 to read as
10	16		follows:
11	17		Sec. 1085.0585. EMPLOYMENT OF PHYSICIANS. (a) The board
12	18		may employ physicians as the board considers necessary for the
13	19		efficient operation of the district.
14	20		(b) The board shall adopt and maintain policies to ensure
15	21		that a physician employed under this section exercises independent
16	22		medical judgment when providing care to patients at a district
17	23		facility. The policies adopted under this subsection must include
18	24		policies relating to:
19	25		(1) credentialing;
20	26		(2) quality assurance;
21	27		(3) utilization review;
22	28		(4) peer review;
23	29		(5) medical decision-making; and
24	30		(6) due process.
25	31		(c) A physician employed by the district under this section
26	32		is subject to the same standards and procedures regarding
27	33		credentialing, peer review, quality of care, and privileges as a
28	34		physician not employed by the district.
29	35		(d) The district shall give equal consideration regarding
30	36		the issuance of credentials and privileges to physicians employed
31	37		by the district and physicians not employed by the district.
32	38		(e) A physician employed by the district shall retain
33	39		independent medical judgment in providing care to patients at a
34	40		facility operated by the district and may not be penalized for
35	41		reasonably advocating for patient care.
36	42		(f) The board shall appoint a chief medical officer for the
37	43		district who must be a physician. For all matters relating to the
38	44		practice of medicine, each physician employed by the district shall
39	45		ultimately report to the chief medical officer of the district. The
40	46		chief medical officer shall notify the Texas Medical Board that the
41	47		district is employing physicians under this section and that the
42	48		chief medical officer is the district's designated contact with the
43	49		Texas Medical Board. The chief medical officer shall immediately
44	50		report to the Texas Medical Board any action or event that the chief
45	51		medical officer reasonably and in good faith believes constitutes a
46	52		compromise of the independent medical judgment of a physician in
47	53		caring for a patient.
48	54		(g) This section may not be construed as altering, voiding,
49	55		or prohibiting any relationship between a district and a physician,
50	56		including a contract or arrangement with an approved nonprofit
51	57		health corporation that is certified under Section 162.001(b),
52	58		Occupations Code, and that holds a certificate of authority issued
53	59		under Chapter 844, Insurance Code.
54	60		(h) A contract to employ a physician under this section may
55	61		not include a covenant not to compete on termination of the
56	62		contract.
57	63		(i) This section may not be construed to authorize the board
58	64		to supervise or control the practice of medicine, as prohibited by
59	65		Subtitle B, Title 3, Occupations Code.
60	66		SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
61		-	______________________________ ______________________________
62		-	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
63		-	I certify that H.B. No. 4663 was passed by the House on May 3,
64		-	2019, by the following vote: Yeas 139, Nays 1, 2 present, not
65		-	voting.
66		-	______________________________
67		-	Chief Clerk of the House
68		-	I certify that H.B. No. 4663 was passed by the Senate on May
69		-	20, 2019, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
70		-	______________________________
71		-	Secretary of the Senate
72		-	APPROVED: _____________________
73		-	Date
74		-	_____________________
75		-	Governor
	67	+	* * * * *