The Decreasing Occupational Certification Timelines, Obstacles, and Regulations (DOCTOR) Act aims to simplify the medical licensing process in Texas, particularly for foreign medical professionals and military veterans. It introduces a provisional license for foreign medical license holders who meet specific criteria, such as holding a medical degree and having an employment offer in Texas. Additionally, the bill establishes a framework for issuing medical licenses to military veterans who have recently left service and passed the Texas medical jurisprudence examination. A new category of limited licenses for "physician graduates" is also created, allowing them to practice under the supervision of a licensed physician, with provisions for supervising practice agreements and regulations by the Texas Medical Board.

The bill includes amendments to the Occupations Code and the Insurance Code, requiring physician graduates to disclose their status and lack of formal postgraduate training to patients. They can only practice under the supervision of a certified sponsoring physician and must adhere to a supervising practice agreement. The bill also outlines the responsibilities of sponsoring physicians and mandates that physician graduates display identification indicating their status. Furthermore, it amends the Insurance Code to allow insured individuals to select a physician graduate for covered services, effective for policies renewed on or after January 1, 2026. The Texas Medical Board is tasked with implementing these changes by January 1, 2026, and the bill is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Insurance Code 1451.001, Subchapter C, Chapter , Insurance Code 155.201 (Insurance Code 1451, Subchapter C, Chapter , Insurance Code 155)