By: Nelson S.B. No. 571
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to efficiencies and cost-savings in the health and human
services agencies and other related regulatory agencies.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Notwithstanding any statute to the contrary, the
legislature, in its discretion, may determine the amount of each
appropriation of state funds. The amounts required by statute for
entities that receive state funds under the General Appropriations
Act, 82nd Legislature, Regular Session, 2011, may be reduced or
eliminated in order to achieve a balanced budget.
SECTION 2. All health and human services agencies shall
identify efficiencies and reduce expenditures by:
(1) Eliminating or modifying programs not funded or
funded at a reduced level through Article II of the General
Appropriations Act;
(2) Reviewing, updating, and modifying rules to
streamline functions while preserving care for consumers;
(3) Consolidating administrative and service
functions where applicable;
(4) Evaluating the sufficiency of existing fees to
cover costs associated with administering all applicable programs;
(5) Maximizing co-sharing, including co-payments, in
all programs;
(6) Expanding billing coordination to all programs;
(7) Renegotiating more efficient contracts;
(8) Evaluating regulatory requirements as they relate
to available resources;
(9) Requesting any waiver or authorization from a
federal agency determined to be necessary for implementation of any
initiative aimed at improving efficiency and reducing
expenditures;
(10) Increasing access to preventive primary care;
(11) Evaluating the state medical assistance and
children and child health plan programs; and
(12) Implementing additional initiatives identified
by the health and human services agencies.
SECTION 3. The Health and Human Services Commission shall
identify efficiencies and reduce expenditures by:
(1) Streamlining eligibility determination processes;
(2) Evaluating the elimination of Temporary
Assistance for Needy Families exemptions not required by federal
law; and
(3) Implementing additional initiatives identified by
the Health and Human Services Commission.
SECTION 4. The Department of Aging and Disability Services
shall identify efficiencies and reduce expenditures by:
(1) Evaluating the current forensic commitment
process to ensure that alleged offenders with an intellectual
disability are being served in the most appropriate and
cost-effective setting;
(2) Ensuring that clients are being served in the most
cost-effective Section 1915(c) waiver program appropriate for
their needs;
(3) Streamlining the administration and delivery of
services through Section 1915(c) waiver programs;
(4) Performing utilization management and review
activities for all community entitlement and Section 1915(c) waiver
programs;
(5) Increasing community based long term care service
delivery options while containing costs;
(6) Requiring clients of Section 1915(c) waiver
programs to access attendant services through community based
entitlement programs wherever possible; and
(7) Implementing additional initiatives identified by
the Department of Aging and Disability Services.
SECTION 5. The Department of Family and Protective Services
shall identify efficiencies and reduce expenditures by:
(1) Maximizing use of programs at the Department of
State Health Services to provide mental health and substance abuse
services that are purchased through the child protective services
program and adult protective services program;
(2) Creating efficiencies in child care regulation;
(3) Redesigning the foster care system with the goal
of improving outcomes for children and families; and
(4) Implementing additional initiatives identified by
the Department of Family and Protective Services.
SECTION 6. The Department of State Health Services shall
identify efficiencies and reduce expenditures by:
(1) Evaluating the current forensic commitment
process to ensure that alleged offenders with a mental illness are
being served in the most appropriate and cost-effective setting;
(2) Partnering with local health departments to
streamline public health efforts;
(3) Privatizing a state hospital;
(4) Utilizing residential units in state hospitals to
provide cost-effective care and to maintain bed capacity;
(5) Requiring hospitals, which accept the state
medical assistance program, to charge state mental health hospitals
no more than the state medical assistance program fee for service
rate;
(6) Expanding cost-effective models of care for mental
illness;
(7) Optimizing federal matching funds for all state
and local funding streams, including Trauma Funds;
(8) Managing expenditures for drugs provided through
the state mental health hospitals and community care settings; and
(9) Implementing additional initiatives identified by
the Department of State Health Services.
SECTION 7. The Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative
Services shall identify efficiencies and reduce expenditures by:
(1) Evaluating the feasibility and cost-effectiveness
of providing services to clients in the early childhood
intervention program through the state medical assistance and child
health plan programs; and
(2) Implementing additional initiatives identified by
the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services.
SECTION 8. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2011.