In the past few years, some plaintiffs lawyers have created a lucrative new practice area by representing doctors or hospitals suing insurance companies that didn't pay health care claims on time.

Now lawmakers are trying to put an end to this “prompt pay” practice.

Members of the House Judiciary & Civil Jurisprudence Committee pondered the question for about three hours during a March 17 hearing on House Bill 1433 by Rep. John Smithee, R-Amarillo, who is chairman of the committee.