1-1 By: Ellis S.B. No. 806 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 2, 1999; March 3, 1999, read 1-3 first time and referred to Committee on Health Services; 1-4 April 15, 1999, reported adversely, with favorable Committee 1-5 Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 5, Nays 0; April 15, 1999, 1-6 sent to printer.) 1-7 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 806 By: Lindsay 1-8 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-9 AN ACT 1-10 relating to the provision of medical care services to inmates 1-11 confined by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and to certain 1-12 administrative matters pertaining to the provision of those 1-13 services. 1-14 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-15 SECTION 1. Subsection (k), Section 501.059, Government Code, 1-16 is amended to read as follows: 1-17 (k) The committee may enter into a contract on behalf of the 1-18 department to fully implement the managed health care plan under 1-19 Subsection (h). The committee, not later than October 31 of each 1-20 year, shall report to the governor, the comptroller, the state 1-21 auditor, and the Legislative Budget Board regarding any amounts 1-22 received in the previous fiscal year in excess of costs incurred in 1-23 the previous fiscal year in providing health care services under 1-24 the managed health care plan. On reporting under this subsection, 1-25 the committee shall deposit half of the excess amounts received to 1-26 the general revenue fund. 1-27 SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 501, Government Code, is 1-28 amended by adding Section 501.0591 to read as follows: 1-29 Sec. 501.0591. USE OF TELEMEDICINE AND TELEMEDICINE 1-30 RESOURCES. (a) The University of Texas Medical Branch at 1-31 Galveston and the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, in 1-32 conjunction with the Correctional Managed Health Care Advisory 1-33 Committee, shall develop and implement a comprehensive plan for 1-34 expanding the use of telemedicine within the prison system. The 1-35 plan must include measures designed to reduce inmate transportation 1-36 and health care costs. 1-37 (b) The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and 1-38 the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center may use 1-39 correctional telemedicine resources for rural health care 1-40 initiatives and for purposes of rural health care education. The 1-41 Center for Rural Health Initiatives may assist the Correctional 1-42 Managed Health Care Advisory Committee and the universities in 1-43 coordinating a statewide effort to link rural communities with 1-44 health education centers through correctional telemedicine 1-45 resources. This subsection does not permit the provision of direct 1-46 patient care in a location where services are reasonably available. 1-47 The Texas Department of Health shall determine whether services are 1-48 reasonably available in the location. 1-49 (c) The Correctional Managed Health Care Advisory Committee 1-50 and any ad hoc committee of the department that deals with 1-51 transportation issues shall report to the 77th Legislature 1-52 regarding the progress made in expanding the use of telemedicine in 1-53 providing inmate health care services and reducing inmate 1-54 transportation and health care costs. The report must include 1-55 implementation plans, a timetable, and an analysis of costs 1-56 incurred and savings realized through expanding the use of 1-57 telemedicine. In receiving a report under this subsection, the 1-58 legislature shall consider dedicating any savings realized through 1-59 expanding the use of telemedicine for purposes of further expanding 1-60 the use of telemedicine to provide inmate health care services. 1-61 This subsection expires September 1, 2001. 1-62 SECTION 3. (a) The Correctional Managed Health Care 1-63 Advisory Committee shall annually deposit amounts received to the 1-64 general revenue fund as required by Subsection (k), Section 2-1 501.059, Government Code, as amended by this Act, beginning not 2-2 later than October 31, 2000. 2-3 (b) The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and 2-4 the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, in conjunction 2-5 with the Correctional Managed Health Care Advisory Committee, shall 2-6 develop and begin implementation of the comprehensive plan required 2-7 by Subsection (a), Section 501.0591, Government Code, as added by 2-8 this Act, not later than January 1, 2000. 2-9 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999. 2-10 SECTION 5. 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 * * * * *