| 1 | 1 | | 88R6725 KKR-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Vasut H.B. No. 3370 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to authorizing certain physical therapists to serve as a |
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| 8 | 8 | | treating doctor under the workers' compensation system. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 401, Labor Code, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended by adding Section 401.015 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 401.015. DEFINITION OF TREATING DOCTOR. (a) In this |
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| 13 | 13 | | subtitle, "treating doctor" means the health care practitioner who |
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| 14 | 14 | | is primarily responsible for the employee's health care for an |
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| 15 | 15 | | injury. A treating doctor must be: |
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| 16 | 16 | | (1) a doctor, as defined by Section 401.011(17); or |
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| 17 | 17 | | (2) notwithstanding any other law, a physical |
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| 18 | 18 | | therapist licensed under Chapter 453, Occupations Code, who is |
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| 19 | 19 | | described by Section 453.301(a) or (a-2) of that code. |
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| 20 | 20 | | (b) Notwithstanding Section 453.301, Occupations Code, a |
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| 21 | 21 | | physical therapist described by Subsection (a)(2) of this section |
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| 22 | 22 | | is not required to obtain a referral from another practitioner to |
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| 23 | 23 | | provide care as a treating doctor under this subtitle. |
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| 24 | 24 | | SECTION 2. Section 401.011(42), Labor Code, is repealed. |
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| 25 | 25 | | SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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| 26 | 26 | | to the provision of health care services to an injured employee by a |
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| 27 | 27 | | physical therapist on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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| 28 | 28 | | Health care services provided before that date are governed by the |
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| 29 | 29 | | law as it existed immediately before the effective date of this Act, |
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| 30 | 30 | | and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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| 31 | 31 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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