By Maxey, et al.                                      H.B. No. 2017

         75R12083 CLG-F                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to telemedicine services provided under the Medicaid and

 1-3     Medicare programs.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is

 1-6     amended by adding  Section 531.0215 to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 531.0215.  PARTICIPATION AND REIMBURSEMENT OF

 1-8     TELEMEDICINE SERVICE PROVIDERS UNDER MEDICAID.  (a)  The

 1-9     commission by rule shall develop and implement a system to

1-10     reimburse providers of services under the state Medicaid program

1-11     for services performed using telemedicine.

1-12           (b)  In developing the system, the commission shall:

1-13                 (1)  review programs and pilot projects in other states

1-14     to determine the most effective method for reimbursement;

1-15                 (2)  establish billing codes and a fee schedule for

1-16     services; and

1-17                 (3)  provide for an approval process before a provider

1-18     can receive reimbursement for services.

1-19           (c)  The commission shall encourage teaching hospitals, small

1-20     rural hospitals, federally qualified health centers, and

1-21     state-owned health care facilities to participate as telemedicine

1-22     service providers in the health care delivery system.

1-23           (d)  In this section, "telemedicine" has the meaning assigned

1-24     by Section 3.606, Public Utility Regulatory Act of 1995 (Article

 2-1     1446c-0, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes).

 2-2           SECTION 2.  As soon as practicable after the effective date

 2-3     of this Act, Texas Tech University, with the cooperation of the

 2-4     Health and Human Services Commission, shall contact the Health Care

 2-5     Financing Administration regarding approval of the federal waiver

 2-6     submitted before the effective date of this Act to allow Texas Tech

 2-7     University to receive reimbursement under the federal research and

 2-8     demonstration project for telemedicine services provided under the

 2-9     Medicare program.

2-10           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-11     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-12     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-13     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-14     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

2-15     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

2-16     passage, and it is so enacted.