MINUTES 
                                     Revised 
          
                 LONG-TERM CARE LEGISLATIVE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE 
              SUBCOMMITTEE ON A SURVEY REGARDING NURSING FACILITIES 
                           Thursday, February 26, 1998 
                                     1 p.m. 
                                     E1.012 
                                      ***** 
         Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule  
         11.11, a public hearing of the Long-Term Care Legislative  
         Oversight Committee Subcommittee on a Survey Regarding Nursing  
         Facilities, appointed by Chair Senator Judith Zaffirini on  
         January 21,1998, was held on Thursday, February 26, 1998, in  
         E1.012 of the Texas State Capitol at Austin, Texas.   
                                      ***** 
         MEMBERS PRESENT:                        MEMBERS ABSENT: 
         Representative Jim McReynolds, Chair     
         Dr. Ken Kramer, Public Member 
         Pat Karrh, Public Member                 
                                      ***** 
         The chair called the meeting to order at 1:07 p.m.  There  
         being a quorum present, the following business was transacted. 
          
         The chair made opening remarks and announced that the purpose  
         of the meeting was to consider options regarding the  
         development of a nursing facility survey to gather information  
         about improving quality in nursing homes.  The chair proposed  
         that, instead of developing a mail survey, the subcommittee  
         hold hearings in Plainview, San Antonio and Lufkin. 
          
         Dr. Kramer made reference to an article in the Texas Health  
         Care Association newsletter regarding the charge of the  
         subcommittee and asked for clarification from a member of the  
         organization.  
          
         The following person provided oral testimony: 
          
              Tim Graves, deputy director, Texas Health Care  
              Association, P.O. Box 4554, Austin, Texas 78765. 
          
         Mr. Graves, author of the article referenced by Dr. Kramer,  
         stated that he misunderstood the charge of the subcommittee  
         and apologized for any confusion the article might have  
         caused. 
          
         Dr. Kramer moved that the subcommittee request that Senator  
         Zaffirini place the issues of rate reimbursement, the  
         monitoring and measuring of the quality of care, and the  
         Department of Human Services re-engineering process on the  
         agenda of the next Legislative Oversight Committee meeting.   
         There being no objection, the motion prevailed by unanimous  
         consent. 
          
         Ms. Karrh moved that the subcommittee hold the three public  
  
         hearings in Austin to hear testimony regarding nursing  
         facilities.  The first meeting would include testimony from  
         Texas Department of Human Services surveyors and nursing home  
         administrators.  The second meeting would include nursing home  
         ombudsmen and medical providers.  The third meeting would  
         include residents, family members of residents, advocates,  
         operators, owners, and owner-operators.  There being no  
         objection, the motion prevailed by unanimous consent. 
          
         With no other business to come before the committee, the chair  
         recessed the Subcommittee on a Survey Regarding Nursing  
         Facilities at 2:35 p.m., subject to the call of the chair. 
          
         Representative Jim McReynolds, Chair 
          
         Monica D. Cruz, Committee Clerk