By Naishtat                                     H.B. No. 1944

      75R3733 KEL-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the reimbursement of service providers by area agencies

 1-3     on aging.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 101.0255, Human Resources Code, is

 1-6     amended by adding Subsections (c), (d), and (e) to read as follows:

 1-7           (c)  The department shall require an area agency on aging to

 1-8     reimburse a service provider, under a joint contract under

 1-9     Subsection (b), for each service at a rate that is equal to or

1-10     below the rate set by the Texas Department of Human Services for a

1-11     comparable service in the same region.

1-12           (d)  The department shall require an area agency on aging to

1-13     reimburse a service provider, under a contract other than a joint

1-14     contract under Subsection (b), for each service at a rate that is

1-15     equal to or below the rate set by other purchasers for a comparable

1-16     service in the same region or by the Texas Department of Human

1-17     Services for a comparable service in a neighboring region.

1-18           (e)  The department shall adjust the unit cost calculations

1-19     of appropriate services to determine whether the services are

1-20     comparable.

1-21           SECTION 2.  (a)  The change in law made by this Act applies

1-22     only to a contract entered into or renewed on or after the

1-23     effective date of this Act.

1-24           (b)  A contract entered into or renewed before the effective

 2-1     date of this Act is covered by the law in effect when the contract

 2-2     was entered into or renewed, and the former law is continued in

 2-3     effect for that purpose.

 2-4           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

 2-5           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

 2-6     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

 2-7     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

 2-8     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

 2-9     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.