Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas House Bill HB1453 Compare Versions

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1	1	81R7144 ALB-D
2	2	By: Naishtat H.B. No. 1453
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to long-term care consumer information made available
8	8	through the Internet.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
11	11	amended by adding Section 531.0318 to read as follows:
12	12	Sec. 531.0318. LONG-TERM CARE CONSUMER INFORMATION MADE
13	13	AVAILABLE THROUGH THE INTERNET. (a) The Internet site maintained
14	14	under Section 531.0317 must include information for consumers
15	15	concerning long-term care services that complies with this section.
16	16	The Internet site maintained by the Department of Aging and
17	17	Disability Services must also include, or provide a link to, the
18	18	information required by this section.
19	19	(b) The information for consumers required by this section
20	20	must:
21	21	(1) be presented in a manner that is easily accessible
22	22	to, and understandable by, a consumer; and
23	23	(2) allow a consumer to make informed choices
24	24	concerning long-term care services and include:
25	25	(A) an explanation of the manner in which
26	26	long-term care service delivery is administered in different
27	27	counties through different programs operated by the commission and
28	28	by the Department of Aging and Disability Services, so that an
29	29	individual can easily understand the service options available in
30	30	the area in which that individual lives; and
31	31	(B) for the Medicaid Star + Plus pilot program,
32	32	information that allows a consumer to evaluate the performance of
33	33	each participating plan issuer, including for each issuer, in an
34	34	accessible format such as a table:
35	35	(i) the enrollment in each county;
36	36	(ii) additional "value-added" services
37	37	provided;
38	38	(iii) the medical loss ratio, together with
39	39	a concise explanation of the meaning of the term in accordance with
40	40	Subsection (c);
41	41	(iv) complaint information;
42	42	(v) any sanction or penalty imposed by any
43	43	state agency, including a sanction or penalty imposed by the
44	44	commission or the Texas Department of Insurance;
45	45	(vi) information concerning consumer
46	46	satisfaction; and
47	47	(vii) other data, including relevant data
48	48	from reports of external quality review organizations, that may be
49	49	used by the consumer to evaluate the quality of the services
50	50	provided.
51	51	(c) For purposes of Subsection (b), "medical loss ratio"
52	52	means direct losses incurred by a participating plan issuer divided
53	53	by direct premiums earned by that issuer as determined under rules
54	54	adopted by the executive commissioner. The medical loss ratio must
55	55	be updated on a quarterly basis.
56	56	(d) In addition to providing the information required by
57	57	this section through the Internet, the commission or the Department
58	58	of Aging and Disability Services shall, on request by a consumer
59	59	without Internet access, provide the consumer with a printed copy
60	60	of the information from the website. The commission or department
61	61	may charge a reasonable fee for printing the information.
62	62	SECTION 2. (a) Not later than January 1, 2010, the Health
63	63	and Human Services Commission shall make the information required
64	64	by Section 531.0318, Government Code, as added by this Act,
65	65	available through the Internet.
66	66	(b) In developing the information required to be made
67	67	available under this Act, the Health and Human Services Commission
68	68	shall incorporate long-term care provider quality information
69	69	reported through the Department of Aging and Disability Services
70	70	Internet site, as well as other appropriate available information
71	71	concerning the quality of services provided through the long-term
72	72	care service delivery programs operated by that department.
73	73	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
74	74	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
75	75	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
76	76	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
77	77	Act takes effect September 1, 2009.