88R6237 SRA-F By: Menéndez S.B. No. 1156 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the operation of a hospital at home program by certain hospitals; authorizing a fee. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Chapter 241, Health and Safety Code, is amended by adding Subchapter M to read as follows: SUBCHAPTER M. HOSPITAL AT HOME PROGRAM Sec. 241.401. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: (1) "Acute hospital care at home waiver program" means: (A) the program established by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services under 42 U.S.C. Section 1320b-5 that waives the requirements of 42 C.F.R. Sections 482.23(b) and (b)(1); and (B) a successor program to the program described by Paragraph (A) that is established by the United States Congress or the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (2) "Hospital at home program" means a program operated by a hospital to provide in a home setting health care services that are considered to be acute hospital care for purposes of the acute hospital care at home waiver program. Sec. 241.402. APPROVAL AND LICENSE REQUIRED. (a) A hospital may not operate a hospital at home program unless the hospital: (1) is approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to operate the program; and (2) holds a license issued by the commission under this subchapter. Sec. 241.403. MINIMUM STANDARDS. (a) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules establishing minimum standards for the operation of a hospital at home program by a hospital. (b) The standards established under Subsection (a) must be at least as stringent as the standards established by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services under the acute hospital care at home waiver program. Sec. 241.404. APPLICATION; ISSUANCE OF LICENSE. (a) An applicant for a license under this subchapter must: (1) submit an application to the commission in the form and manner prescribed by the commission; and (2) pay a fee in the amount set by the commission under Section 241.405. (b) The commission shall issue a license to an applicant to operate a hospital at home program under this subchapter if the applicant meets the standards established under Section 241.403 and satisfies the requirements of this section. (c) The commission may request that an applicant provide additional information necessary to determine whether the applicant meets the standards established under Section 241.403 after the applicant has submitted an application. Sec. 241.405. FEES. (a) The commission may establish a fee to be assessed for the issuance of a license under this subchapter. (b) The commission must set the fee in an amount that is reasonable and necessary to cover the costs of administering this subchapter. Sec. 241.406. WAIVER OF REQUIREMENTS. (a) The commission by order may waive or modify a requirement of a particular provision of this subchapter or a standard established under this subchapter if the commission determines that the waiver or modification: (1) will facilitate a hospital's creation or operation of a hospital at home program; and (2) is in the best interests of the individuals who are or will be served by the hospital's hospital at home program. (b) Sections 241.026(d) and (e) apply to a waiver or modification under this section. SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.