BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 4743 By: Bonnen Public Health Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE According to the CDC, stroke is one of the leading causes of death and long-term disability in the United States, with Texans experiencing higher than average rates of stroke deaths in the nation. The bill author has informed the committee that rapid diagnosis and treatment are critical for improving survival rates and reducing the long-term impact of strokes, and that mobile stroke units (MSUs) offer a promising solution for minimizing stroke severity, which can additionally decrease long-term health care costs, and extending critical care access to rural and remote areas where timely treatment is often unavailable. The bill author has further informed the committee that MSUs are specialized ambulances equipped with a CT scanner and staffed by a team capable of diagnosing and treating stroke patients on-site, allowing them to quickly administer lifesaving interventions such as tissue plasminogen activator, which has been shown to improve patient outcomes and prevent lasting loss of function. A 2022 study, "Comparison of Mobile Stroke Unit With Usual Care for Acute Ischemic Stroke Management," indicates that MSUs significantly increase the chances of patients receiving treatment within the first hour of symptom onset, resulting in substantially better recovery outcomes and reduced long-term disability. H.B. 4743 seeks to address these issues by allowing the Texas Department of State Health Services to license accredited MSUs under the license of a hospital. CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services in SECTION 2 of this bill. ANALYSIS H.B. 4743 amends the Health and Safety Code to authorize the Department of State Health Services to issue one license for a hospital and a mobile stroke unit of the hospital if the mobile stroke unit is accredited by a health care accreditation organization approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The bill requires the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission to adopt rules necessary to implement this authorization as soon as practicable after the bill's effective date. H.B. 4743 makes the requirement for a hospital license to be posted in a conspicuous place on the licensed premises inapplicable to a license issued to a mobile stroke unit of a hospital under the bill's provisions. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
H.B. 4743
By: Bonnen
Public Health
Committee Report (Unamended)
H.B. 4743
By: Bonnen
Public Health
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE According to the CDC, stroke is one of the leading causes of death and long-term disability in the United States, with Texans experiencing higher than average rates of stroke deaths in the nation. The bill author has informed the committee that rapid diagnosis and treatment are critical for improving survival rates and reducing the long-term impact of strokes, and that mobile stroke units (MSUs) offer a promising solution for minimizing stroke severity, which can additionally decrease long-term health care costs, and extending critical care access to rural and remote areas where timely treatment is often unavailable. The bill author has further informed the committee that MSUs are specialized ambulances equipped with a CT scanner and staffed by a team capable of diagnosing and treating stroke patients on-site, allowing them to quickly administer lifesaving interventions such as tissue plasminogen activator, which has been shown to improve patient outcomes and prevent lasting loss of function. A 2022 study, "Comparison of Mobile Stroke Unit With Usual Care for Acute Ischemic Stroke Management," indicates that MSUs significantly increase the chances of patients receiving treatment within the first hour of symptom onset, resulting in substantially better recovery outcomes and reduced long-term disability. H.B. 4743 seeks to address these issues by allowing the Texas Department of State Health Services to license accredited MSUs under the license of a hospital.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services in SECTION 2 of this bill.
ANALYSIS H.B. 4743 amends the Health and Safety Code to authorize the Department of State Health Services to issue one license for a hospital and a mobile stroke unit of the hospital if the mobile stroke unit is accredited by a health care accreditation organization approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The bill requires the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission to adopt rules necessary to implement this authorization as soon as practicable after the bill's effective date. H.B. 4743 makes the requirement for a hospital license to be posted in a conspicuous place on the licensed premises inapplicable to a license issued to a mobile stroke unit of a hospital under the bill's provisions.
EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
According to the CDC, stroke is one of the leading causes of death and long-term disability in the United States, with Texans experiencing higher than average rates of stroke deaths in the nation. The bill author has informed the committee that rapid diagnosis and treatment are critical for improving survival rates and reducing the long-term impact of strokes, and that mobile stroke units (MSUs) offer a promising solution for minimizing stroke severity, which can additionally decrease long-term health care costs, and extending critical care access to rural and remote areas where timely treatment is often unavailable. The bill author has further informed the committee that MSUs are specialized ambulances equipped with a CT scanner and staffed by a team capable of diagnosing and treating stroke patients on-site, allowing them to quickly administer lifesaving interventions such as tissue plasminogen activator, which has been shown to improve patient outcomes and prevent lasting loss of function. A 2022 study, "Comparison of Mobile Stroke Unit With Usual Care for Acute Ischemic Stroke Management," indicates that MSUs significantly increase the chances of patients receiving treatment within the first hour of symptom onset, resulting in substantially better recovery outcomes and reduced long-term disability. H.B. 4743 seeks to address these issues by allowing the Texas Department of State Health Services to license accredited MSUs under the license of a hospital.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services in SECTION 2 of this bill.
ANALYSIS
H.B. 4743 amends the Health and Safety Code to authorize the Department of State Health Services to issue one license for a hospital and a mobile stroke unit of the hospital if the mobile stroke unit is accredited by a health care accreditation organization approved by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The bill requires the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission to adopt rules necessary to implement this authorization as soon as practicable after the bill's effective date.
H.B. 4743 makes the requirement for a hospital license to be posted in a conspicuous place on the licensed premises inapplicable to a license issued to a mobile stroke unit of a hospital under the bill's provisions.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2025.