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.