84R12101 SCL-F
By: Hinojosa S.B. No. 1744
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to funding for and a study of county health care services.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 531.094 to read as follows:
Sec. 531.094. MAXIMIZATION OF COUNTY INDIGENT HEALTH CARE
FUNDING. (a) If feasible and cost-effective, the commission shall
apply for a modification of or amendment to the waiver under Chapter
537 as necessary to more efficiently leverage the use of county
funds to maximize the receipt of federal Medicaid matching funds to
provide counties in the state with additional funding to provide
indigent health care under Chapter 61, Health and Safety Code.
(b) In pursuing the waiver modification or amendment
required under this section, the commission shall:
(1) solicit broad-based input from interested
persons; and
(2) employ the use of intergovernmental transfers and
other procedures to maximize the receipt of federal Medicaid
matching funds.
SECTION 2. (a) The Health and Human Services Commission
shall conduct a study of county expenditures on uncompensated
health care and investigate:
(1) the impact uncompensated health care costs have on
county budgets;
(2) local and innovative methods to reduce barriers in
health care delivery and increase access to health care; and
(3) the community benefit of health care services
provided under health care funding districts established under
Chapter 288, Health and Safety Code.
(b) Not later than December 1, 2016, the executive
commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall
prepare and deliver a report to the governor, lieutenant governor,
speaker of the house of representatives, and presiding officer of
each standing committee of the senate and house of representatives
having primary jurisdiction over matters relating to health and
human services. The report must contain:
(1) a summary of the study conducted under this
section; and
(2) the recommendations of the Health and Human
Services Commission based on the results of the study, including
recommendations of any legislation that is needed to implement the
recommendations.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.