1-1     By:  Maxey, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Shapleigh)       H.B. No. 2017

 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 8, 1997;

 1-3     May 9, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on Health

 1-4     and Human Services; May 17, 1997, reported adversely, with

 1-5     favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 9, Nays

 1-6     0; May 17, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-7     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 2017                By:  Moncrief

 1-8                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-9                                   AN ACT

1-10     relating to telemedicine services provided under the Medicaid and

1-11     Medicare programs.

1-12           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-13           SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is

1-14     amended by adding  Section 531.0215 to read as follows:

1-15           Sec. 531.0215.  PARTICIPATION AND REIMBURSEMENT OF

1-16     TELEMEDICINE SERVICE PROVIDERS UNDER MEDICAID.  (a)  The

1-17     commission by rule shall develop and implement a system to

1-18     reimburse providers of services under the state Medicaid program

1-19     for services performed using telemedicine.

1-20           (b)  In developing the system, the commission shall:

1-21                 (1)  review programs and pilot projects in other states

1-22     to determine the most effective method for reimbursement;

1-23                 (2)  establish billing codes and a fee schedule for

1-24     services; and

1-25                 (3)  provide for an approval process before a provider

1-26     can receive reimbursement for services.

1-27           (c)  The commission shall encourage teaching hospitals, small

1-28     rural hospitals, federally qualified health centers, and

1-29     state-owned health care facilities to participate as telemedicine

1-30     service providers in the health care delivery system.

1-31           (d)  In this section, "telemedicine" has the meaning assigned

1-32     by Section 3.606, Public Utility Regulatory Act of 1995 (Article

1-33     1446c-0, Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes).

1-34           SECTION 2.  As soon as practicable after the effective date

1-35     of this Act, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, with the

1-36     cooperation of the Health and Human Services Commission, shall

1-37     contact the Health Care Financing Administration regarding approval

1-38     of the federal waiver submitted before the effective date of this

1-39     Act to allow Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center to

1-40     receive reimbursement under the federal research and demonstration

1-41     project for telemedicine services provided under the Medicare

1-42     program.

1-43           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-44     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-45     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-46     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-47     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,

1-48     and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its

1-49     passage, and it is so enacted.

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