BILL ANALYSIS S.B. 1477 By: Madla Health and Human Services 4-27-95 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Hospices traditionally attempt to provide services to their patients in a home setting. When individuals select the Medicaid/Medicare Hospice Benefit, they waive their right to hospitalization. A hospice, however, must provide acute care as needed by a patient. Some hospices have built, or are in the process of building, free-standing in-patient facilities to care for the special needs of these patients. The level of acuity required by patients in such facilities necessitates the ability to change medication rapidly in order to control symptoms. These facilities are licensed under Chapter 142, Health and Safety Code, and have the same need as do hospitals for an institutional pharmacy located on the premises. PURPOSE As proposed, S.B. 1477 expands the definition of "Class C pharmacy license" or "institutional pharmacy license" to include a license issued to certain hospice inpatient facilities. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subsection (7), Section 5, Article 4542a-1, V.T.C.S., to redefine "Class C pharmacy license" or "institutional pharmacy license" to mean a license issued to, among other facilities, a hospice inpatient facility that is licensed under Chapter 142, Health and Safety Code. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1995. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.