COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP.

(a) The committee consists of nine voting members and one nonvoting member as follows:

(1) one member employed full-time by the department, appointed by the executive director;

(2) one member who is a physician and employed full-time by The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, appointed by the president of the medical branch;

(3) one member who is a physician and employed full-time by the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, appointed by the president of the university;

(4) two members who are physicians, each of whom is employed full-time by a medical school other than The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston or the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, appointed by the governor;

(5) two members appointed by the governor who are licensed mental health professionals;

(6) two public members appointed by the governor who are not affiliated with the department or with any contracting entity, at least one of whom is licensed to practice medicine in this state; and

(7) the state Medicaid director or a person employed full-time by the Health and Human Services Commission and appointed by the Medicaid director, to serve ex officio as a nonvoting member.

(b) An appointment to the committee shall be made without regard to the race, color, disability, sex, religion, age, or national origin of the appointee.

(c) A committee member appointed under Subsection (a)(7) shall assist the department with developing the expertise needed to accurately assess health care costs and determine appropriate rates.