The Commisioner of Insurance considered a petition by the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association to suspend the rate change limitation.

The Texas Department of Insurance considered proposed rate increases for private passenger and commercial autos insured under the Texas Automobile Insurance Plan Association (TAIPA).

The Workers' Compensation Commissioner considered proposed Chapter 137 - Disability Management rules, including general provisions, return to work provisions, treatment guidelines and treatment planning.

The Commissioner of Insurance considered new program requirements, procedures, duties and oblications for insurers writing personal auto insurance policies that establish financial responsibility as required by Texas law.

The Commissioner of Insurance (1) considered manual rates for all types and classes of risks written by the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA); (2) considered appointment of a public representative to the TWIA board of directors; (3) considered TWIA's proposal to change the structure of commercial deductibles from a default 0.5 percent peritem per occurrence with optional flat deductibles to a default deductible of 1 percent per item per occurrence and optional percentage deductibles of 2 percent and 5 percent per item per occurrence; (4) considered a proposal by TWIA for an upward modification to a 5 percent surcharge for TWIA policies that must be issued without an inspection.

The Commissioner of Insurance is considering as a catastrophe area -- eligible for windstorm and hail coverage through the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) -- an area in Harris County bounded on the east by State Highway 146, on the west by State Highway 288, on the south by the Harris County-Galveston County line and on the north by Loop 610 and State Highway 225.

Pre-proposal draft rules:

• Inpatient/Outpatient Medical Fee Guideline 134.403, 134.404 

Docket No. 2601: Commissioner Mike Geeslin heard testimony in the ratemaking phase of the 2004 Texas Title Insurance Biennial Hearing. The hearing concluded on August 17, 2006.

The Division of Workers' Compensation heard testimony on the following rules:

CHAPTER 133 - MEDICAL BILLING AND PROCESSING

Subchapter D - Dispute of Medical Bills

• §133.305 Medical Dispute Resolution - General (Repeal)
• §133.305 Medical Dispute Resolution - General (New)
• §133.307 Medical Dispute Resolution of a Medical Fee Dispute (Repeal)
• §133.307 Medical Dispute Resolution of Fee Disputes (New)
• §133.308 Medical Dispute Resolution by Independent Review Organizations (Repeal)
• §133.308 Medical Dispute Resolution by Independent Review Organizations (New)

The Division of Workers' Compensation heard testimony on amended rules:

• 28 TAC §141.5 Description of the Benefit Review Conference
• 28 TAC §141.6 Requesting Interlocutory Orders
• 28 TAC §141.7 Division Actions After a Benefit Review Conference

Docket No. 2639: Considered a Texas Windstorm Insurance Association's (TWIA) proposal to increase the current maximum limits of liability for commercial and government buildings insured by the TWIA from $1,907,000 to $3,000,000 for commercial buildings and corporeal movable property and from $2,192,000 to $3,000,000 for government buildings and corporeal movable property.

Docket No. 2640: Considered whether the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) should offer per risk reinsurance coverage to the TWIA policyholders.

Docket No. 2637: Consider approval of the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association's (TWIA) filing requesting a 19% upward modification of the annual residential property windstorm and hail insurance rate and a 24% upward modification of the annual commercial property windstorm and hail insurance rate.

Docket No. 2638: Consider approval of a Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA) request for a surcharge on the TWIA base rate for policies of windstorm and hail insurance that are issued for structures to be approved for insurability without an inspection. TWIA has requested approval of a surcharge of 25%.

• 28 TAC §126.14 concerning Treating Doctor to Define Compensable Injury; 
• 28 TAC §§126.5, 126.6, and 126.7, 28 TAC §§130.2 and 130.6, 28 TAC §126.14, 28 TAC §130.5 and 130.110 (repeals) concerning Designated Doctor/Required Medical Examination;
• 28 TAC §§180.21, 180.22, and 180.28 concerning Peer Review;
• 28 TAC §§133.500 & 133.501 concerning Electronic Medical Billing

Pre-proposal draft rules:

• 137.10 Return to Work Guideline
• 137.1 Disability Management, 137.100 Treatment Guideline, 137.300 Treatment Planning

Docket-2636 - Concerning the obligation of certain group health coverage policyholders and contract holders to continue premium payment after notice of an individual's lost group eligibility. 

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Docket-2634 - Temporary appointment of qualified inspectors to conduct windstorm inspections in Jeffereson and Chambers counties.

Docket-2635 - Proposed new rule regarding the use of residential property insurance claims in rating programs, including surcharge and claims-free programs.

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The purpose of the stakeholder meeting - to receive input from
system participants on the informal drafts of rules posted on the TDI website on
12/21/05. These draft rules may be found at

www.tdi.state.tx.us/wc/rules/planning/ruleschart.html.

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