| 1 | 1 | | 85R7221 KKR-D |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: Lucio S.B. No. 2134 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | relating to a plan to increase the use of telemedicine medical |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | services and telehealth services in this state. |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 1001, Health and Safety Code, is amended |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | by adding Subchapter J to read as follows: |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | SUBCHAPTER J. PLAN TO EXPAND TELEMEDICINE MEDICAL SERVICES AND |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | TELEHEALTH SERVICES |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | Sec. 1001.251. ACTION PLAN. (a) The department, with the |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | assistance of the Texas Hospital Association, the Texas Medical |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | Association, teaching hospitals, and the statewide health |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | coordinating council, shall develop and implement an action plan |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | to: |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | (1) expand the use of telemedicine medical services, |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | telehealth services, and related mobile applications for those |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | services to increase access by residents of this state to health |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | care providers; and |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | (2) increase the availability of critical medical care |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | and health care services to residents in this state in areas |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | determined by the department to be medically underserved, including |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | the border region and rural areas. |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | (b) The department shall consult with health care |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | providers, advocacy groups, relevant federal agencies, and any |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | other interested persons the department considers necessary to |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | develop the action plan required by this section. |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | Sec. 1001.252. PLAN REQUIREMENTS. (a) The action plan |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | developed under Section 1001.251 must include: |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | (1) short-term and long-term plan recommendations, |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | including policy initiatives and reforms necessary to implement the |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | plan; |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | (2) statutory and administrative changes necessary to |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | implement the plan; and |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | (3) options for the funding necessary to implement the |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | plan. |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | (b) The department shall: |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | (1) not later than September 1, 2019: |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | (A) submit to the governor and the legislature |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | the recommendations, the statutory and administrative changes, and |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | the funding options described in Subsection (a) and short-term and |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | long-term plans to implement those recommendations, changes, and |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | options; and |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | (B) begin implementing the short-term plan; |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | (2) not later than September 1, 2021, fully implement |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | the short-term plan; |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | (3) not later than September 1, 2027, fully implement |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | the long-term plan; and |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | (4) include the short-term and long-term plans in the |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | material the department prepares for consideration of the |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | commission in connection with the update of the strategic plan for |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | health and human services under Section 531.022, Government Code. |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | Sec. 1001.253. EXPIRATION. This subchapter expires |
|---|
| 57 | 57 | | September 1, 2027. |
|---|
| 58 | 58 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|---|
| 59 | 59 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|---|
| 60 | 60 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|---|
| 61 | 61 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|---|
| 62 | 62 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
|---|