| 1 | 1 | | 87R11253 MCF-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Ortega H.B. No. 3146 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to a study and report by the Health and Human Services |
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| 8 | 8 | | Commission on the continuity of home health services during the |
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| 9 | 9 | | COVID-19 pandemic. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. (a) In this Act: |
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| 12 | 12 | | (1) "COVID-19" means the 2019 novel coronavirus |
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| 13 | 13 | | disease. |
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| 14 | 14 | | (2) "Home health service" has the meaning assigned by |
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| 15 | 15 | | Section 142.001, Health and Safety Code. |
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| 16 | 16 | | (3) "Home health service provider" means a person who |
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| 17 | 17 | | provides home health services for compensation. |
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| 18 | 18 | | (b) The Health and Human Services Commission shall conduct a |
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| 19 | 19 | | study to evaluate the impact of: |
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| 20 | 20 | | (1) COVID-19 on the continuity of home health services |
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| 21 | 21 | | provided to patients; and |
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| 22 | 22 | | (2) the provision of home health services on the |
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| 23 | 23 | | spread of COVID-19 among patients receiving the services. |
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| 24 | 24 | | (c) In conducting the study, the Health and Human Services |
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| 25 | 25 | | Commission shall: |
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| 26 | 26 | | (1) assess the impact of shortages in the number of |
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| 27 | 27 | | available home health service providers on the spread of COVID-19; |
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| 28 | 28 | | (2) assess the impact of the turnover rate for home |
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| 29 | 29 | | health service providers on the spread of COVID-19; and |
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| 30 | 30 | | (3) identify and assess whether any geographic regions |
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| 31 | 31 | | of this state have been disproportionately affected by the spread |
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| 32 | 32 | | of COVID-19 and the likelihood that the shortages or turnover rate |
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| 33 | 33 | | of home health service providers contributed to that spread. |
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| 34 | 34 | | (d) Not later than September 1, 2022, the Health and Human |
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| 35 | 35 | | Services Commission shall prepare and submit to the governor, the |
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| 36 | 36 | | lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, |
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| 37 | 37 | | and each standing committee of the senate and house of |
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| 38 | 38 | | representatives having jurisdiction over public health a written |
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| 39 | 39 | | report on the results of the study and any recommendations for |
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| 40 | 40 | | legislative or other action. |
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| 41 | 41 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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