By: Cortez, Guillen, Fierro H.B. No. 1782
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a plan to increase the use of telemedicine medical
services, telehealth services, and interprofessional Internet
consultations in this state.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 531.021611 to read as follows:
Sec. 531.021611. ACTION PLAN TO EXPAND TELEMEDICINE MEDICAL
SERVICES AND TELEHEALTH SERVICES. (a) The commission shall
develop and implement an action plan to:
(1) expand the use of and increase access to
telemedicine medical services, telehealth services, and related
mobile applications for those services by health care providers for
the residents of this state; and
(2) increase the availability of critical medical care
and health care services to residents in this state in areas
determined by the commission to be medically underserved.
(b) In developing and implementing the action plan under
Subsection (a), the commission shall:
(1) evaluate, in collaboration with the Maternal
Mortality and Morbidity Task Force established under Chapter 34,
Health and Safety Code, and other interested persons, the use of
telemedicine medical services for women during pregnancy and the
postpartum period;
(2) seek the assistance of the Texas Hospital
Association, the Texas Medical Association, the Texas Nurses
Association, The University of Texas System Virtual Health Network,
teaching hospitals, and the statewide health coordinating council;
and
(3) consult with health care providers, advocacy
groups, relevant federal agencies, and any other interested persons
the commission considers necessary to develop the action plan
required by this section.
(c) The action plan developed under Subsection (a) must
include:
(1) short-term and long-term plan recommendations,
including policy initiatives and reforms necessary to implement the
plan;
(2) statutory and administrative reforms necessary to
implement the plan; and
(3) options for the funding necessary to implement the
plan.
(d) The commission shall:
(1) not later than September 1, 2021:
(A) submit to the governor and the legislature
the recommendations, the statutory and administrative reforms, and
the funding options described in Subsection (c) and short-term and
long-term plans to implement those recommendations, reforms, and
options; and
(B) begin implementing the short-term plan;
(2) not later than September 1, 2023, fully implement
the short-term plan;
(3) not later than September 1, 2029, fully implement
the long-term plan; and
(4) include the short-term and long-term plans in the
update of the strategic plan for health and human services under
Section 531.022.
(e) This section expires September 1, 2030.
SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 531.02166 to read as follows:
Sec. 531.02166. INTERPROFESSIONAL INTERNET CONSULTATIONS
PILOT PROGRAM. (a) Not later than September 1, 2021, and subject
to Subsection (e), the commission shall develop and implement a
pilot program through which the commission provides or contracts
with a third party to provide technical assistance to train
Medicaid providers regarding the use of interprofessional Internet
consultations for Medicaid recipients in rural and medically
underserved areas. The program must be designed to determine
whether the use of technology improves access to specialty care,
including pediatric, prenatal, postnatal, and behavioral health
services, for Medicaid recipients.
(b) The commission shall:
(1) implement the pilot program in:
(A) at least one:
(i) federally qualified health center;
(ii) municipal public health system;
(iii) clinic that is a member of a nonprofit
membership association that supports charitable clinics in this
state; and
(iv) rural community center; and
(B) a maximum of 20 health clinics; and
(2) ensure that a third party contracted to provide
technical assistance described under Subsection (a):
(A) has significant experience integrating
telehealth services, telemedicine medical services, and online
consultations with electronic health records; and
(B) has a current contract with the United States
Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and
Services Administration as a regional telehealth resource center.
(c) The commission shall examine cost avoidance that
results from providing telemedicine medical services to Medicaid
recipients in rural and medically underserved communities through
the pilot program, including cost avoidance that results from:
(1) reducing recipient wait times for specialty care
providers;
(2) improving access to specialty care;
(3) reducing the number of recipient referrals; and
(4) reducing the number of miles traveled by
recipients for specialty care consultations.
(d) Not later than December 31, 2022, the commission shall
report to the legislature regarding the status and results of the
pilot program and make recommendations regarding whether to
continue, expand, or terminate the program.
(e) The commission is required to implement this section
only if the legislature appropriates money specifically for that
purpose. If the legislature does not appropriate money
specifically for that purpose, the commission may, but is not
required to, implement this section using other appropriations
available for that purpose.
(f) This section expires September 1, 2023.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.