By: Plesa H.B. No. 733

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the health literacy advisory committee and health literacy in the state health plan.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 104.002, Health and Safety Code, is amended by adding Subdivision (6) to read as follows:

(6) "Health literacy" means the degree to which an individual has the capacity to find, understand, and use health information and services to inform health-related decisions and actions.

SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 104, Health and Safety Code, is amended by adding Section 104.0156 to read as follows:

Sec. 104.0156. HEALTH LITERACY ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) The statewide health coordinating council shall establish an advisory committee on health literacy composed of representatives of relevant interest groups, including the academic community, consumer groups, health plans, pharmacies, and associations of physicians, dentists, nurses, and hospitals.

(b) Members of the advisory committee shall elect one member as presiding officer.

(c) The advisory committee shall develop a long-range plan for improving health literacy in this state. The committee shall update the plan at least once every two years.

(d) In developing the long-range plan, the advisory committee shall study the economic impact of low health literacy on state health programs and health insurance coverage for state residents. The advisory committee shall:

(1) identify primary risk factors contributing to low health literacy;

(2) examine methods for health care practitioners, health care facilities, and other persons to address the health literacy of patients and other health care consumers;

(3) examine the effectiveness of using quality measures in state health programs to improve health literacy;

(4) identify strategies for expanding the use of plain language instructions for patients; and

(5) examine the impact of improved health literacy on enhancing patient safety, reducing preventable events, and increasing medication adherence to attain greater cost-effectiveness and better patient outcomes in the provision of health care.

(e) Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year, the advisory committee shall submit the long-range plan developed or updated under this section to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and each member of the legislature.

(f) An advisory committee member serves without compensation but is entitled to reimbursement for the member's travel expenses as provided by Chapter 660, Government Code, and the General Appropriations Act.

(g) Sections 2110.002, 2110.003, and 2110.008, Government Code, do not apply to the advisory committee.

(h) Meetings of the advisory committee under this section are subject to Chapter 551, Government Code.

SECTION 3. Sections 104.022(e) and (f), Health and Safety Code, are amended to read as follows:

(e) The state health plan shall be developed and used in accordance with applicable state and federal law. The plan must identify:

(1) major statewide health concerns, including the prevalence of low health literacy among health care consumers;

(2) the availability and use of current health resources of the state, including resources associated with information technology and state-supported institutions of higher education; and

(3) future health service, information technology, and facility needs of the state.

(f) The state health plan must:

(1) propose strategies for the correction of major deficiencies in the service delivery system;

(2) propose strategies for improving health literacy to attain greater cost-effectiveness and better patient outcomes in the provision of health care;

(3) [(2)] propose strategies for incorporating information technology in the service delivery system;

(4) [(3)] propose strategies for involving state-supported institutions of higher education in providing health services and for coordinating those efforts with health and human services agencies in order to close gaps in services; and

(5) [(4)] provide direction for the state's legislative and executive decision-making processes to implement the strategies proposed by the plan.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.