By Coleman H.B. No. 2602
77R11449 JRD-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to indigent health care.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 61.006(b), Health and Safety Code, is
1-5 amended to read as follows:
1-6 (b) The minimum eligibility standards must incorporate a net
1-7 income eligibility level equal to 21 [25] percent of the federal
1-8 poverty level based on the federal Office of Management and Budget
1-9 poverty index.
1-10 SECTION 2. Section 61.032(e), Health and Safety Code, is
1-11 amended to read as follows:
1-12 (e) If the county and the provider disagree on the patient's
1-13 residence or eligibility, the county or the provider may submit the
1-14 matter to the department as provided by Section 61.004.
1-15 SECTION 3. Section 61.0395, Health and Safety Code, is
1-16 amended to read as follows:
1-17 Sec. 61.0395. LIMITED TO APPROPRIATED FUNDS. [(a)] The
1-18 total amount of state assistance provided to counties under this
1-19 chapter for a fiscal year may not exceed the amount appropriated
1-20 for that purpose for that fiscal year.
1-21 [(b) The department shall adopt rules governing the
1-22 distribution of state assistance under this chapter that establish
1-23 a maximum annual allocation for each county eligible for assistance
1-24 under this chapter in compliance with Subsection (a).]
2-1 [(c) The rules adopted under this section:]
2-2 [(1) may consider the relative populations of the
2-3 service areas of eligible counties and other appropriate factors;
2-4 and]
2-5 [(2) notwithstanding Subsection (b), may provide for,
2-6 at the end of each state fiscal year, the reallocation of all money
2-7 that is allocated to a county under Subsection (b) but that the
2-8 county is not eligible to receive and the distribution of that
2-9 money to other eligible counties.]
2-10 SECTION 4. Section 61.059(e), Health and Safety Code, is
2-11 amended to read as follows:
2-12 (e) If the public hospital and the provider disagree on the
2-13 patient's residence or eligibility, the hospital or the provider
2-14 may submit the matter to the department as provided by Section
2-15 61.004.
2-16 SECTION 5. Section 46.003(f), Health and Safety Code, as
2-17 added by Chapter 969, Acts of the 76th Legislature, Regular
2-18 Session, 1999, is amended to read as follows:
2-19 (f) Except as provided by Subsection (e), the account shall
2-20 be allocated for:
2-21 (1) payment to tertiary care facilities and level IV
2-22 trauma centers for unreimbursed tertiary medical services and
2-23 stabilization services, as provided for in Sections 46.005 and
2-24 46.006; and
2-25 (2) payment of state assistance as provided for in
2-26 Chapter 61.
2-27 SECTION 6. Section 466.408(b), Government Code, is amended to
3-1 read as follows:
3-2 (b) If a claim is not made for prize money on or before the
3-3 180th day after the date on which the winner was selected, the
3-4 prize money shall be deposited to the credit of the Texas
3-5 Department of Health state-owned multicategorical teaching hospital
3-6 account or the tertiary care facility account as follows:
3-7 (1) not more than $40 million in prize money each
3-8 biennium may be deposited to or appropriated from the Texas
3-9 Department of Health state-owned multicategorical teaching hospital
3-10 account, which is an account in the general revenue fund; and
3-11 (2) all prize money subject to this section in excess
3-12 of $40 million each biennium shall be deposited in the tertiary
3-13 care facility account. Money deposited in the tertiary care
3-14 facility account may only be appropriated to the department for
3-15 purposes specified in Chapter 46 or 61, Health and Safety Code.
3-16 SECTION 7. Section 61.006(b-2), Health and Safety Code, is
3-17 repealed.
3-18 SECTION 8. (a) The changes in law made by this Act to
3-19 Chapter 61, Health and Safety Code, take effect September 1, 2001.
3-20 (b) Except as provided by Subsection (a) of this section,
3-21 this Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of
3-22 two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by
3-23 Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not
3-24 receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes
3-25 effect on the 91st day after the last day of the legislative
3-26 session.