BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 1467 89R8555 EAS-D By: Hinojosa, Juan "Chuy" Health & Human Services 4/4/2025 As Filed AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT Hospitals and doctors need to know when their patients pass away so they can keep their records correct and up to date. But sometimes, when a person dies outside of a hospital or clinic, their doctor or healthcare provider does not receive that information right away. This can create big problems. A 2023 study from the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) found that 20 percent of patients who were listed as "alive with a serious illness" in medical records were actually already deceased. This mistake can cause issues for families of deceased patients who might receive appointment reminders, medical bills, or other messages, which can be upsetting and frustrating. It can also lead to prescriptions still being filled for people who have passed away, leading to wasted medication and possible misuse. Hospitals not having complete and accurate data can make it harder for them to track patient outcomes and improve care. It also affects programs like Medicaid that reward hospitals for good care. Lastly, outdated information can create opportunities for identity fraud. Currently, the Department of State Health Services collects and shares basic information about a deceased person with the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Secretary of State's office to help keep records accurate. S.B. 1467 simply expands access of this data to hospitals so they can update their records, too. As proposed, S.B. 1467 amends current law relating to death records maintained by the vital statistics unit of the Department of State Health Services and provided to certain hospitals. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 191, Health and Safety Code, by adding Section 191.012, as follows: Sec. 191.012. DEATH INFORMATION PROVIDED TO CERTAIN HOSPITALS. (a) Requires the Department of State Health Services to implement an efficient and effective procedure to provide death information to a hospital licensed under Chapter 241 (Hospitals) to assist with the hospital's participation in the Medicaid managed care program operated under Chapter 540 (Medicaid Managed Care Program), Government Code. (b) Requires that the procedure implemented under Subsection (a) at a minimum provide the following information for each deceased person for whom a death certificate is filed with a local registrar in this state: the county of residence of the deceased, the date of birth of the deceased, and the full name of the deceased. SECTION 2. Requires a state agency, if necessary for implementation of a provision of this Act, to request a waiver or authorization from a federal agency, and authorizes a delay of implementation until such a waiver or authorization is granted. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 1467
89R8555 EAS-D By: Hinojosa, Juan "Chuy"
Health & Human Services
4/4/2025
As Filed
Senate Research Center
S.B. 1467
89R8555 EAS-D
By: Hinojosa, Juan "Chuy"
Health & Human Services
4/4/2025
As Filed
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Hospitals and doctors need to know when their patients pass away so they can keep their records correct and up to date. But sometimes, when a person dies outside of a hospital or clinic, their doctor or healthcare provider does not receive that information right away. This can create big problems.
A 2023 study from the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) found that 20 percent of patients who were listed as "alive with a serious illness" in medical records were actually already deceased. This mistake can cause issues for families of deceased patients who might receive appointment reminders, medical bills, or other messages, which can be upsetting and frustrating. It can also lead to prescriptions still being filled for people who have passed away, leading to wasted medication and possible misuse. Hospitals not having complete and accurate data can make it harder for them to track patient outcomes and improve care. It also affects programs like Medicaid that reward hospitals for good care. Lastly, outdated information can create opportunities for identity fraud.
Currently, the Department of State Health Services collects and shares basic information about a deceased person with the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Secretary of State's office to help keep records accurate. S.B. 1467 simply expands access of this data to hospitals so they can update their records, too.
As proposed, S.B. 1467 amends current law relating to death records maintained by the vital statistics unit of the Department of State Health Services and provided to certain hospitals.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 191, Health and Safety Code, by adding Section 191.012, as follows:
Sec. 191.012. DEATH INFORMATION PROVIDED TO CERTAIN HOSPITALS. (a) Requires the Department of State Health Services to implement an efficient and effective procedure to provide death information to a hospital licensed under Chapter 241 (Hospitals) to assist with the hospital's participation in the Medicaid managed care program operated under Chapter 540 (Medicaid Managed Care Program), Government Code.
(b) Requires that the procedure implemented under Subsection (a) at a minimum provide the following information for each deceased person for whom a death certificate is filed with a local registrar in this state: the county of residence of the deceased, the date of birth of the deceased, and the full name of the deceased.
SECTION 2. Requires a state agency, if necessary for implementation of a provision of this Act, to request a waiver or authorization from a federal agency, and authorizes a delay of implementation until such a waiver or authorization is granted.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2025.