By Brown                                               S.B. No. 347
         77R1837 PEP-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the purchase of prescription drugs for persons confined
 1-3     in institutions operated by the Texas Department of Criminal
 1-4     Justice.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  Sections 501.147(a) and (c), Government Code, are
 1-7     amended to read as follows:
 1-8           (a)  The committee may enter into a contract on behalf of the
 1-9     department to fully implement the managed health care plan under
1-10     this subchapter.  A contract entered under this subsection must
1-11     include provisions necessary to ensure that The University of Texas
1-12     Medical Branch at Galveston is eligible for and makes reasonable
1-13     efforts to participate in the purchase of prescription drugs under
1-14     Section 340B, Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. Section 256b).
1-15           (c)  In contracting for implementation of the managed health
1-16     care plan, the committee, to the extent possible, shall integrate
1-17     the managed health care provider network with the public medical
1-18     schools of this state and the component and affiliated hospitals of
1-19     those medical schools.  The contract must authorize The University
1-20     of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston to contract directly with the
1-21     Texas Tech University Health Science Center for the provision of
1-22     health care services.  The Texas Tech University Health Science
1-23     Center shall cooperate with The University of Texas Medical Branch
1-24     at Galveston in its efforts to participate in the purchase of
 2-1     prescription drugs under Section 340B, Public Health Service Act
 2-2     (42 U.S.C. Section 256b).
 2-3           SECTION 2.  The Correctional Managed Health Care Committee,
 2-4     in cooperation with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, shall
 2-5     amend any existing contract for the implementation of the managed
 2-6     health care plan established under Section 501.146, Government
 2-7     Code, as necessary to meet the requirements imposed on the contract
 2-8     under Sections 501.147(a) and (c), Government Code, as amended by
 2-9     this Act, not later than January 1, 2002.
2-10           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.