Texas 2019 86th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1882 Introduced / Bill

Filed 03/07/2019

                    86R12366 BEE-D
 By: Buckingham S.B. No. 1882


 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 AN ACT
 relating to voting by physicians at certain entities to authorize
 the differentiation of physicians based on maintenance of
 certification.
 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 SECTION 1.  Subchapter E, Chapter 241, Health and Safety
 Code, is amended by adding Section 241.1011 to read as follows:
 Sec. 241.1011.  HOSPITAL AUTHORITY TO DIFFERENTIATE BASED ON
 MAINTENANCE OF CERTIFICATION. An entity to which Section 151.0515,
 Occupations Code, applies violates this chapter if the entity does
 not comply with the requirements of that section regarding the
 provision of written notice regarding and the holding of an
 election to vote on whether to authorize the entity to
 differentiate between physicians based on a physician's
 maintenance of certification.
 SECTION 2.  Section 151.0515, Occupations Code, is amended
 by amending Subsections (c) and (d) and adding Subsection (c-1) to
 read as follows:
 (c)  Subject to this section, a separately certified [An]
 entity described by Subsection (a) may differentiate between
 physicians based on a physician's maintenance of certification if
 the voting physician members of that [the] entity's organized
 medical staff vote to authorize the differentiation.
 (c-1)  An entity described by Subsection (a) shall:
 (1)  provide written notice to the voting physician
 members of the entity's organized medical staff of the process by
 which the members may request an election to vote on whether to
 authorize the entity to differentiate between physicians based on a
 physician's maintenance of certification; and
 (2)  if the voting physician members request the
 election in accordance with the process described in the notice
 required by Subdivision (1), hold the election not later than the
 60th day after the date of the request.
 (d)  An authorization described by Subsection (c) may:
 (1)  be made only by the voting physician members of the
 separately certified entity's organized medical staff and not by
 the entity's governing body, administration, medical executive
 committee, or any other person;
 (2)  subject to Subsection (e), establish terms
 applicable to the entity's differentiation, including:
 (A)  appropriate grandfathering provisions; and
 (B)  limiting the differentiation to certain
 medical specialties; and
 (3)  be rescinded at any time by a vote of the voting
 physician members of the entity's organized medical staff.
 SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.