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House Bill 15 |
House Author: Kolkhorst et al. |
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Effective: 9-1-13 |
Senate Sponsor: Nelson et al. |
House Bill 15 amends the Health and Safety Code to require the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to assign level of care designations to each hospital based on the neonatal and maternal services provided at the hospital. The bill requires the executive commissioner, in consultation with the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and not later than March 1, 2017, to adopt rules for assigning level of care designations and sets out requirements for establishing the designations, criteria to qualify for each designation, and the process of assigning designations. The bill requires HHSC to study patient transfers that are not medically necessary and authorizes the executive commissioner, if it is determined to be desirable and feasible, to adopt rules addressing transfers that are not medically necessary but would be cost-effective. The bill provides for the confidentiality and privileged nature of all information and materials submitted by a hospital to DSHS for purposes of the hospital's level of care designation and prohibits a DSHS summary or disclosure from containing certain identifying information. The bill sets out requirements regarding the assignment and review of level of care designations and a request from a hospital to change a designation. The bill makes a hospital that does not meet minimum requirements for any level of care designation for neonatal or maternal services ineligible for applicable Medicaid reimbursement except under certain circumstances. The bill establishes the Perinatal Advisory Council, composed of 17 members appointed by the executive commissioner, to develop designation criteria and assignment processes and to make recommendations to the executive commissioner regarding level of care designations and neonatal and maternal outcomes. The bill sets out provisions relating to the operation and appointment of the council and subjects the council to provisions of the Texas Sunset Act. The bill establishes the dates by which a hospital must have a neonatal or maternal level of care designation as a condition of Medicaid reimbursement.