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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of community paramedicine programs to |
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coordinate health care services and improve health care provision. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 9, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by adding Chapter 776 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 776. COMMUNITY PARAMEDICINE PROGRAM |
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Sec. 776.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Emergency medical services personnel" has the |
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meaning assigned by Section 773.003. |
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(2) "ET3 program" means the federal Emergency Triage, |
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Treat, and Transport program of the Centers for Medicare and |
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Medicaid Services. |
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(3) "Executive commissioner" means the executive |
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commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission. |
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(4) "Paramedicine program" means a collaborative |
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program between health care practitioners, health care facilities, |
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and emergency medical services personnel established under this |
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chapter. |
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Sec. 776.002. PROGRAM PURPOSE. The purpose of a |
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paramedicine program is to create collaborative relationships |
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between health care practitioners, health care facilities, and |
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emergency medical services personnel to improve patient care access |
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and management, patient health outcomes, cost-effectiveness in the |
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use of health care services, and community population health. |
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Sec. 776.003. ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM. (a) A municipality |
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or county may establish a paramedicine program under this chapter. |
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(b) The municipality or county may structure the program in |
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a manner to qualify for federal funding under the ET3 program. |
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Sec. 776.004. COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIPS. (a) Under a |
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paramedicine program, health care practitioners, health care |
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facilities, and emergency medical services personnel may establish |
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partnerships and develop and implement a plan for providing |
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collaborative health services to at-risk individuals living in the |
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community, including providing services to: |
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(1) prevent: |
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(A) emergencies; |
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(B) avoidable use of emergency rooms; |
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(C) avoidable transport; and |
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(D) potentially avoidable hospital admissions |
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and readmissions; and |
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(2) provide: |
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(A) health care services; and |
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(B) behavioral health services to individuals |
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with behavioral health conditions or developmental or intellectual |
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disabilities. |
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(b) The plan must focus on the delivery of health care |
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services to patients with chronic conditions or limited mobility. |
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(c) The plan may: |
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(1) include orientation and collaborative training |
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for health care providers and emergency medical services personnel |
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participating in the plan; and |
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(2) incorporate health benefit plan issuers and |
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service organizations as considered necessary to implement a |
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successful plan. |
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Sec. 776.005. RULES. The executive commissioner shall |
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adopt rules to implement this chapter. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |