Amend HB 1398 in ARTICLE 1 of the bill by striking the
recital to SECTION 1.15 of the bill (senate committee printing,
page 8, lines 10-11), and substituting the following:
      SECTION 1.15. Section 61.052, Health and Safety Code, is
amended to read as follows:
      Sec. 61.052.  GENERAL ELIGIBILITY PROVISIONS. (a)  A public
hospital or hospital district shall provide health care assistance
to each eligible resident in its service area who meets:
            (1)  the basic income and resources requirements
established by the department under Sections 61.006 and 61.008 and
in effect when the assistance is requested; or
            (2)  a less restrictive income and resources standard
adopted by the hospital or hospital district serving the area in
which the person resides.
      (b)  If a public hospital used an income and resources
standard during the operating year that ended before January 1,
1985, that was less restrictive than the income and resources
requirements established by the department under Section 61.006,
the hospital shall adopt that standard to determine eligibility
under this subchapter.
      (c)  If a public hospital did not use an income and resources
standard during the operating year that ended before January 1,
1985, but had a Hill-Burton obligation during part of that year,
the hospital shall adopt the standard the hospital used to meet the
Hill-Burton obligation to determine eligibility under this
subchapter.
      (d)  A public hospital established after September 1, 1985,
shall provide health care services to each resident who meets the
income and resources requirements established by the department
under Sections 61.006 and 61.008, or the hospital may adopt a less
restrictive income and resources standard.  The hospital may adopt
a less restrictive income and resources standard at any time.
      (e)  If because of a change in the income and resources
requirements established by the department under Sections 61.006
and 61.008 the standard adopted by a public hospital or hospital
district becomes stricter than the requirements established by the
department, the hospital or hospital district shall change its
standard to at least comply with the requirements established by
the department.
      (f)  A public hospital or hospital district may contract with
the department to perform eligibility determination services.