By: Crownover H.B. No. 3781
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to creation of the Texas Health Improvement Network.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subtitle H, Title 2, Health & Safety Code, is
amended by adding Chapter 172 to read as follows:
CHAPTER 172. Texas Health Improvement Network
Sec. 172.001. PURPOSE. (a) The Texas Health Improvement
Network (THIN) is established as a network of diverse health
professionals dedicated to developing initiatives and translating
research on population health into health policy and best practices
to address urgent health challenges in Texas and the nation.
(b) The network shall achieve the following goals to improve
the health system:
(1) reduce the per capita costs of health care;
(2) improve the individual experience of care
(including quality and patient satisfaction); and
(3) improve the health of Texas.
Sec. 172.002. NETWORK. (a) The network consists of
participating faculty at public and private Texas institutions of
higher education, in addition to participating state and
local
health agencies. Participating faculty must include faculty of
both general academic and health-related institutions.
(b) The network shall seek to include faculty that
represents not only the traditional public health and medical
fields, but also expertise on mental health, nursing, pharmacy,
social work, health economics, health policy and law, epidemiology,
biostatistics, health informatics, health services research,
engineering and computer science.
(c) The network shall focus on evaluating and eliminating
health disparities in Texas, including the racial or ethnic,
geographic, and income- or education-related disparities.
(d) The network shall also focus on healthcare
cost-containment and the economic analysis of health policy.
Sec. 172.003. ADVISORY COUNCIL. An advisory council shall
be established for the network that includes both Texas and
national thought leaders in population health. The advisory
council must include expertise in traditional public health and
medical fields, as well as leaders in the fields of behavior health,
business, insurance, philanthropy, education, health law, and
policy.
Sec. 172.004. PROJECTS. (a) From funds appropriated for
purposes of the network, the network shall fund demonstration and
pilot projects using an established, peer-reviewed award process.
(b) The network shall fund internships and other
educational programs to prepare population health care workforce.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
the 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, 2015.