1-1 By: Kuempel (Senate Sponsor - Wentworth) H.B. No. 2556
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 18, 1997, reported favorably by the
1-5 following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 18, 1997, sent to printer.)
1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-7 AN ACT
1-8 relating to eligibility for state assistance under the Indigent
1-9 Health Care and Treatment Act for certain hospitals.
1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11 SECTION 1. Section 61.037, Health and Safety Code, is
1-12 amended to read as follows:
1-13 Sec. 61.037. COUNTY ELIGIBILITY FOR STATE ASSISTANCE.
1-14 (a) The department may distribute funds as provided by this
1-15 subchapter to eligible counties to assist the counties in providing
1-16 mandatory health care services to their eligible county residents.
1-17 (b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), [or] (d), or (e),
1-18 to be eligible for state assistance, a county must:
1-19 (1) spend in a state fiscal year at least 10 percent
1-20 of the county general revenue levy for that year to provide
1-21 mandatory health care services to its eligible county residents who
1-22 qualify for assistance under Section 61.006; and
1-23 (2) notify the department, not later than the seventh
1-24 day after the date on which the county reaches the expenditure
1-25 level, that the county has spent at least eight percent of the
1-26 applicable county general revenue levy for that year to provide
1-27 mandatory health care services to its eligible county residents who
1-28 qualify for assistance under Section 61.006.
1-29 (c) If a county and a health care provider signed a contract
1-30 on or before January 1, 1985, under which the provider agrees to
1-31 furnish a certain level of health care services to indigent
1-32 persons, the value of services furnished in a state fiscal year
1-33 under the contract is included as part of the computation of a
1-34 county expenditure under this section if the value of services does
1-35 not exceed the payment rate established by the department under
1-36 Section 61.006.
1-37 (d) If a hospital district is located in part but not all of
1-38 a county, that county's appraisal district shall determine the
1-39 taxable value of the property located inside the county but outside
1-40 the hospital district. In determining eligibility for state
1-41 assistance, that county shall consider only the county general
1-42 revenue levy resulting from the property located outside the
1-43 hospital district. A county is eligible for state assistance if:
1-44 (1) the county spends in a state fiscal year at least
1-45 10 percent of the county general revenue levy for that year
1-46 resulting from the property located outside the hospital district
1-47 to provide mandatory health care services to its eligible county
1-48 residents who qualify for assistance under Section 61.006; and
1-49 (2) the county complies with the other requirements of
1-50 this subchapter.
1-51 (e) A county that provides mandatory health care services to
1-52 its eligible residents through a hospital established by a board of
1-53 managers jointly appointed by a county and a municipality under
1-54 Section 265.011 is eligible for state assistance if:
1-55 (1) the county spends in a state fiscal year at least
1-56 10 percent of the county general revenue levy for the year to
1-57 provide mandatory health care services to its eligible county
1-58 residents who qualify for assistance under Section 61.006; and
1-59 (2) the county complies with the requirements of this
1-60 subchapter.
1-61 (f) If a county anticipates that it will reach the 10
1-62 percent expenditure level, the county must notify the department as
1-63 soon as possible before the anticipated date on which the county
1-64 will reach the level.
2-1 (g) [(f)] The county must give the department all necessary
2-2 information so that the department can determine if the county
2-3 meets the requirements of Subsection (b), [or] (d), or (e).
2-4 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the
2-5 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-6 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-7 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-8 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
2-9 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
2-10 passage, and it is so enacted.
2-11 * * * * *