| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to an action plan to expand telemedicine medical services |
|
|
and telehealth services and increase access to critical medical |
|
|
care and health care services in this state. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 531.021611 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 531.021611. ACTION PLAN FOR TELEMEDICINE MEDICAL |
|
|
SERVICES, TELEHEALTH SERVICES, CRITICAL MEDICAL CARE, AND HEALTH |
|
|
CARE SERVICES. (a) The commission shall develop and implement an |
|
|
action plan to: |
|
|
(1) expand the use by health care providers of |
|
|
telemedicine medical services, telehealth services, and related |
|
|
mobile applications for those services and increase access to those |
|
|
services and applications for the residents of this state; and |
|
|
(2) increase the availability of critical medical care |
|
|
and health care services to residents in areas of this state |
|
|
determined by the commission to be medically underserved, including |
|
|
rural areas and areas adjacent to an international border. |
|
|
(b) In developing and implementing the action plan, the |
|
|
commission shall: |
|
|
(1) seek the assistance of the Texas Hospital |
|
|
Association, the Texas Medical Association, teaching hospitals, |
|
|
and the statewide health coordinating council; and |
|
|
(2) consult with health care providers, advocacy |
|
|
groups, relevant federal agencies, and any other interested persons |
|
|
the commission considers necessary to develop the action plan |
|
|
required by this section. |
|
|
(c) The action plan must include: |
|
|
(1) short-term and long-term plan recommendations, |
|
|
including policy initiatives and reforms necessary to implement the |
|
|
plan; |
|
|
(2) statutory and administrative reforms necessary to |
|
|
implement the plan; and |
|
|
(3) options for the funding necessary to implement the |
|
|
plan. |
|
|
(d) The commission shall: |
|
|
(1) not later than September 1, 2023: |
|
|
(A) submit to the governor and the legislature |
|
|
the short-term and long-term plan recommendations, the statutory |
|
|
and administrative reforms, and the funding options described in |
|
|
Subsection (c) and the steps for implementing those |
|
|
recommendations, reforms, and options; and |
|
|
(B) begin implementing the short-term plan; |
|
|
(2) not later than September 1, 2025, fully implement |
|
|
the short-term plan; |
|
|
(3) not later than September 1, 2031, fully implement |
|
|
the long-term plan; and |
|
|
(4) include the short-term and long-term plans in the |
|
|
update of the strategic plan for health and human services under |
|
|
Section 531.022. |
|
|
(e) This section expires September 1, 2032. |
|
|
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |