By McClendon, Madden, Uresti, Capelo                   H.B. No. 342
         77R1209 JAT-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the study of disease management programs for children's
 1-3     asthma.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subtitle D, Title 2, Health and Safety Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Chapter 95 to read as follows:
 1-7        CHAPTER 95.  CHILDREN'S ASTHMA DISEASE MANAGEMENT PILOT STUDY
 1-8           Sec. 95.001.  CHILDREN'S ASTHMA DISEASE MANAGEMENT PILOT
 1-9     STUDY.  (a)  The department by rule shall establish a pilot study
1-10     to compare preventative disease management methods for treating
1-11     children's asthma with traditional methods of treating the disease.
1-12           (b)  The department shall conduct the pilot study in an urban
1-13     setting and in a rural setting.
1-14           (c)  In conducting the pilot study the department shall use
1-15     disease management techniques that are transferable to private
1-16     practice and to other geographical areas of the state.
1-17           (d)  The pilot study may measure the following outcomes:
1-18                 (1)  school absenteeism;
1-19                 (2)  hospitalization;
1-20                 (3)  frequency of asthma symptoms;
1-21                 (4)  impact of the disease on the family; and
1-22                 (5)  economic effects of the disease, including:
1-23                       (A)  income lost by parents as a result of days
1-24     missed from work; and
 2-1                       (B)  income lost by schools as a result of
 2-2     student absenteeism.
 2-3           Sec. 95.002.  REPORT. (a)  Not later than November 1, 2002,
 2-4     the department shall submit to the legislature an interim written
 2-5     report containing the findings of the pilot study.
 2-6           (b)  Not later than November 1, 2003, the department shall
 2-7     submit to the legislature a final written report containing the
 2-8     findings of the pilot study and the department's recommendations.
 2-9           Sec. 95.003.  EXPIRATION DATE. This chapter expires September
2-10     1, 2005.
2-11           SECTION 2.  If before implementing Section 1 of this Act the
2-12     Texas Department of Health determines that a waiver or
2-13     authorization from a federal agency is necessary for
2-14     implementation, the appropriate department shall request the waiver
2-15     or authorization and may delay implementing those provisions until
2-16     the waiver or authorization is granted.
2-17           SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.