By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 1886
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to developing a program to provide telemedicine medical
services to certain children.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 32, Human Resources Code,
is amended by adding Section 32.076 to read as follows:
Sec. 32.076. PROGRAM FOR TELEMEDICINE MEDICAL SERVICES FOR
CHILDREN WITH CHRONIC OR COMPLEX MEDICAL NEEDS. (a) In this
section, "telemedicine medical service" means a health care service
that is provided by a physician for purposes of patient assessment,
diagnosis, consultation, or treatment, or for the transfer of
medical data, and that requires the use of advanced
telecommunications technology, other than telephone or facsimile
technology, including:
(1) compressed digital interactive video, audio, or
data transmission;
(2) clinical data transmission using computer imaging
by way of still-image capture and store and forward; and
(3) other technology that facilitates access to health
care services or medical specialty expertise.
(b) The department shall develop and implement a program to:
(1) enable an eligible child described under
Subsection (c) to receive medical assistance benefits for health
care services provided in the child's residence through
telemedicine medical services; and
(2) provide reimbursement to a pediatric
subspecialist who provides telemedicine medical services under
Subdivision (1).
(c) A child is eligible for inclusion in the program under
this section if the child:
(1) is a recipient of medical assistance; and
(2) has been diagnosed with:
(A) an end-stage solid organ disease; or
(B) a condition that, as determined by department
rule, requires:
(i) mechanical ventilation;
(ii) the child to be technology-dependent;
or
(iii) the child to be treated by three or
more specialists.
(d) The program must require that the health care services
provided through telemedicine medical services:
(1) are provided by a pediatric subspecialist who:
(A) has clinical privileges at a tertiary
pediatric health care system that is associated with an academic
medical center; and
(B) has previously treated the child in person;
and
(2) do not replace the health care services the child
is otherwise receiving.
(e) Not later than January 1, 2019, the department shall
report to the legislature on the results of the program. The report
must include:
(1) an evaluation of the clinical outcomes of the
program, including the program's success in reducing expected
emergency department visits; and
(2) the program's impact on medical costs.
(f) The executive commissioner may adopt rules to implement
this section.
(g) This section expires January 1, 2021.
SECTION 2. If before implementing any provision of this Act
a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a
federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,
the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or
authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the
waiver or authorization is granted.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.