By: Arévalo H.B. No. 3682
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to requiring the statewide health coordinating council and
state health plan to examine and report on the impact of low health
literacy on consumers and the health care system.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 104, Health and Safety Code, is amended
by adding a Section 104.002 (6) to read as follows:
(6) "Health literacy" means the degree to which individuals
have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health
information and services needed to make appropriate health
decisions.
SECTION 2. Chapter 104, Health and Safety Code, is amended
by adding a Section 104.0157 to read as follows:
Sec. 104.0157. HEALTH LITERACY ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a)
The statewide health coordinating council shall form an advisory
committee on health literacy. The committee must include
representatives of interested groups, including the academic
community, consumer groups, health plans, pharmacies, and
associations of physicians, hospitals, and nurses.
(b) The advisory committee shall develop a long-range plan
for increasing health literacy in Texas, including identifying key
risk factors for low health literacy, examining methods for health
care providers, facilities, and others to address health literacy
with patients and the public, examine the effectiveness of using
quality measures in state health programs to improve health
literacy, identifying ways to expand the use of plain language
instructions for patients, identifying ways increasing health
literacy can improve patient safety, reduce preventable events and
increase medication adherence in pursuit of greater
cost-effectiveness and better patient outcomes in health care. In
developing the long-range plan, the advisory committee shall study
the economic impact of low health literacy on state health care
programs and on insurance coverage for residents of this state.
(c) The advisory committee shall elect a presiding officer.
(d) Members of the advisory committee serve without
compensation but are entitled to reimbursement for the members'
travel expenses as provided by Chapter 660, Government Code, and
the General Appropriations Act.
(e) Chapter 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the
size, composition, or duration of the advisory committee.
(f) Meetings of the advisory committee under this section
are subject to Chapter 551, Government Code.
SECTION 3. Chapter 104, Health and Safety Code, is amended
by amending Sec. 104.022(e)(1) adding a new Sec. 104.022(f)(2) to
read as follows:
Sec. 104.022. STATE HEALTH PLAN. (a) Information needed
for the development of the state health plan shall be gathered
through systematic methods designed to include local, regional, and
statewide perspectives.
(b) The statewide health coordinating council, in
consultation with the commission, shall issue overall directives
for the development of the state health plan.
(c) The department shall consult with the Department of
Aging and Disability Services, the commission, and other
appropriate health-related state agencies designated by the
governor before performing the duties and functions prescribed by
state and federal law regarding the development of the state health
plan.
(d) The statewide health coordinating council shall provide
guidance to the department in developing the state health plan.
(e) The state health plan shall be developed and used in
accordance with applicable state and federal law. The plan must
identify:
(1) major statewide health concerns, including the
prevalence of low health literacy for health care consumers;
(2) the availability and use of current health
resources of the state, including resources associated with
information technology and state-supported institutions of higher
education; and
(3) future health service, information technology,
and facility needs of the state.
(f) The state health plan must:
(1) propose strategies for the correction of major
deficiencies in the service delivery system;
(2) propose strategies for increasing health literacy
in pursuit of greater cost-effectiveness and better patient
outcomes in health care;
[(2)](3) propose strategies for incorporating
information technology in the service delivery system;
[(3)](4) propose strategies for involving
state-supported institutions of higher education in providing
health services and for coordinating those efforts with health and
human services agencies in order to close gaps in services; and
[(4)](5) provide direction for the state's legislative
and executive decision-making processes to implement the
strategies proposed by the plan.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect takes effect September 1,
2017.