| 2 | + | (In the Senate - Filed November 12, 2020; March 3, 2021, |
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| 3 | + | read first time and referred to Committee on Health & Human |
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| 4 | + | Services; May 10, 2021, reported adversely, with favorable |
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| 5 | + | Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; |
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| 6 | + | May 10, 2021, sent to printer.) |
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| 7 | + | Click here to see the committee vote |
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| 8 | + | COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 183 By: Seliger |
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| 2 | 9 | | |
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| 3 | 10 | | |
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| 4 | 11 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 12 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 13 | | relating to emergency medical services subscription programs and |
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| 7 | 14 | | reciprocity agreements between certain air ambulance companies |
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| 8 | 15 | | operating a subscription program. |
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| 9 | 16 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 17 | | SECTION 1. Section 773.011, Health and Safety Code, is |
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| 11 | 18 | | amended by amending Subsections (b) and (e) and adding Subsections |
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| 12 | 19 | | (d-1) and (d-2) to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 20 | | (b) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules |
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| 14 | 21 | | establishing minimum standards for the creation and operation of a |
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| 15 | 22 | | subscription program. The rules must: |
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| 16 | 23 | | (1) ensure the protection of public health and safety; |
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| 17 | 24 | | and |
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| 18 | 25 | | (2) for an air ambulance subscription program: |
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| 19 | 26 | | (A) ensure compliance with federal laws and rules |
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| 20 | 27 | | related to air ambulance subscription program services; and |
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| 21 | 28 | | (B) establish minimum standards and objectives |
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| 22 | 29 | | for the delivery of air ambulance emergency medical services |
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| 23 | 30 | | provided in accordance with a reciprocity agreement entered into |
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| 24 | 31 | | under Subsection (d-1). |
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| 25 | 32 | | (d-1) To ensure maximum geographic coverage for patients |
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| 26 | 33 | | covered under an air ambulance subscription program, an air |
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| 27 | 34 | | ambulance company that operates a subscription program in a service |
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| 28 | 35 | | delivery area shall, in accordance with executive commissioner |
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| 29 | 36 | | rules, enter into a reciprocity agreement with each other air |
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| 30 | 37 | | ambulance company that operates a subscription program in that |
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| 31 | 38 | | area. |
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| 32 | 39 | | (d-2) An air ambulance company operating a subscription |
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| 33 | 40 | | program is exempt from the application of Subsection (d-1) if the |
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| 34 | 41 | | company: |
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| 35 | 42 | | (1) does not own any emergency medical services |
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| 36 | 43 | | vehicles; and |
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| 37 | 44 | | (2) pays for all out-of-pocket expenses related to |
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| 38 | 45 | | emergency medical services provided in this country by any |
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| 39 | 46 | | emergency medical services provider. |
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| 40 | 47 | | (e) The Insurance Code does not apply to a subscription |
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| 41 | 48 | | program established or a reciprocity agreement entered into under |
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| 42 | 49 | | this section. |
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| 43 | 50 | | SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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| 44 | 51 | | of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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| 45 | 52 | | Services Commission shall adopt rules necessary to implement |
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| 46 | 53 | | Section 773.011, Health and Safety Code, as amended by this Act. |
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| 47 | 54 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect January 1, 2022. |
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