TITLE: Relating to authorizing certain physical therapists to serve as a treating doctor under the workers' compensation system.

SUMMARY: Relating to authorizing certain physical therapists to serve as a treating doctor under the workers' compensation system.

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to authorizing certain physical therapists to serve as a treating doctor under the workers' compensation system. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 401, Labor Code, is amended by adding Section 401.015 to read as follows: Sec. 401.015. DEFINITION OF TREATING DOCTOR. (a) In this subtitle, "treating doctor" means the health care practitioner who is primarily responsible for the employee's health care for an injury. A treating doctor must be: (1) a doctor, as defined by Section 401.011(17); or (2) notwithstanding any other law, a physical therapist licensed under Chapter 453, Occupations Code, who is described by Section 453.301(a) or (a-2) of that code. (b) Notwithstanding Section 453.301, Occupations Code, a physical therapist described by Subsection (a)(2) of this section is not required to obtain a referral from another practitioner to provide care as a treating doctor under this subtitle. SECTION 2. Section 401.011(42), Labor Code, is repealed. SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only to the provision of health care services to an injured employee by a physical therapist on or after the effective date of this Act. Health care services provided before that date are governed by the law as it existed immediately before the effective date of this Act, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.