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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of a charitable clinic grant program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 2, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by adding Chapter 54 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 54. CHARITABLE CLINIC GRANT PROGRAM |
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Sec. 54.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Charitable clinic" means a private, nonprofit, |
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community-based organization that provides health care services to |
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low-income, underinsured, or uninsured persons at nominal or no |
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cost through the use of volunteer health care professionals and |
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health care professional partnerships. |
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(2) "Program" means the charitable clinic grant |
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program established under this chapter. |
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Sec. 54.002. ESTABLISHMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF PROGRAM. |
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(a) The commission shall establish and administer a charitable |
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clinic grant program through which the commission awards grants to |
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eligible charitable clinics to provide or expand the provision of |
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health care services to low-income, underinsured, and uninsured |
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persons. |
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(b) The commission may award a grant under the program only |
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in accordance with a contract between the commission and a grant |
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recipient. The contract must include provisions granting the |
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commission sufficient control over the money awarded to ensure the |
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public purpose of providing health care services to low-income, |
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underinsured, and uninsured persons is accomplished and this state |
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receives the return benefit. |
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(c) The commission shall award grants under the program to |
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charitable clinics to: |
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(1) increase the clinic's patient capacity; |
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(2) improve the clinic's organization, efficiency, and |
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effectiveness; and |
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(3) expand the clinic's provision of health care |
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services. |
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Sec. 54.003. APPLICATION AND ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS. (a) |
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The commission shall establish application and eligibility |
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requirements for a charitable clinic to satisfy in order to qualify |
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for a grant award under the program. |
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(b) A charitable clinic must include in an application for a |
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grant under this program the specific uses the clinic has for the |
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grant money, which may include the use of grant money for: |
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(1) equipment and technology-related resources; |
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(2) expansion of the clinic premises or services; |
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(3) health care and administrative costs; and |
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(4) staff training and professional development |
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costs. |
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Sec. 54.004. REVIEW COMMITTEE. (a) The commission shall |
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establish a review committee to review and score grant applications |
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submitted under the program for the commission's use in awarding |
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grants under the program. |
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(b) The review committee must be composed of volunteers with |
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appropriate expertise who represent diverse nonprofit and |
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philanthropic backgrounds. |
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(c) To ensure fairness in the review process, the commission |
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shall redact charitable clinic name and location information from |
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the grant applications the review committee reviews and scores. |
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Sec. 54.005. MONTHLY REPORTS. A grant recipient shall |
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submit to the commission each month a report that includes |
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information for the preceding month on: |
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(1) the total number of new clients treated by the |
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charitable clinic; |
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(2) the total amount of fees the clinic charged |
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clients; |
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(3) whether Medicaid, the Medicare program, or a |
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private insurer was billed for health care services provided to a |
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client and the amount billed; |
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(4) the number of volunteers, including health care |
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professionals, who assisted the clinic; |
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(5) the number of prescription drugs dispensed or |
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prescribed; |
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(6) outcome data on: |
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(A) the effectiveness and quality of health care |
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services provided by the clinic; and |
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(B) the percentage of clients who successfully |
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completed treatment; and |
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(7) the clinic's organizational successes, |
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difficulties, delays, or barriers. |
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Sec. 54.006. FUNDING. (a) The commission shall award |
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grants under the program in accordance with this chapter from |
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available money and any additional money appropriated for the |
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purposes of the program. |
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(b) The commission may accept gifts, grants, and donations |
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from any source that are made available for the purposes of the |
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program. |
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Sec. 54.007. RULES. The executive commissioner shall adopt |
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rules to implement this chapter. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2024, the executive |
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commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall |
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adopt the rules necessary to implement Chapter 54, Health and |
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Safety Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |