C.S.H.B. 1877 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS
C.S.H.B. 1877
By: Hardcastle
Public Health
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Currently, studies show that physicians in rural areas are unable to leave
their practices because of the lack of other physicians to provide
coverage. Additionally, studies indicate that rural physicians work longer
hours, see more patients, treat a higher percentage of indigent care
patients, and receive less compensation than their urban colleagues. As
proposed, C.S.H.B. 1877 requires the Office of Rural and Community Affairs
to instigate a state-supported rural physician relief program to help
rural areas retain physicians.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or
institution.
ANALYSIS
The Bill requires the Office of Rural and Community Affairs (ORCA) to
create a program to provide affordable relief services to rural physicians
practicing in the fields of general family medicine, general internal
medicine, and general pediatrics to facilitate the ability of those
physicians to take time away from their practice. The Rural Physician
Relief Advisory committee shall be composed of members as provided in the
bill.
ORCA is required to charge a fee for rural physicians to participate in
the program. The fees collected under this section shall be deposited in
a special account in the general revenue fund that may be appropriated
only to ORCA for administration of this subchapter.
Authorizes ORCA to solicit and accept gifts, grants, donations, and
contributions to support the program. Requires ORCA to pay a physician
providing relief under the program using fees collected by the center.
ORCA shall assign physicians to provide relief to a rural area in
accordance with certain priorities. ORCA shall, in determining where to
assign relief physicians, consider the number of physicians in the area
available to provide relief services and the distance in that area to the
nearest physician who practices in the same speciality. At the request of
ORCA, residency program directors may assist ORCA in coordinating the
assignment of relief physicians.
ORCA shall actively recruit physicians to participate in the program as
relief physicians. ORCA shall concentrate on recruiting physicians
involved in an accredited residency program in general pediatrics, general
internal medicine, and general family medicine, physicians registered on
ORCA's locum tenens registry, physicians employed at a medical school, and
physicians working for private locum tenens groups.
ORCA is to seek state and federal money available for economic development
in rural areas for programs under this chapter. The activities of the
Rural Foundation are added to the reporting requirements of ORCA.
The Bill amends text found in the Health and Safety Code which is to be
placed in the Government Code by replacing the word "center" with
"office." The Bill amends text found in the Health and Safety Code, the
Education Code, and the Government Code by replacing "Center for Rural
Health Initiatives" with the "Office of Rural Community Affairs."
The following sections are repealed: (1) Section 106.025(a), Health and
Safety Code (Duties and Powers); (2) Section 106.029, Health and Safety
Code (Designating Rural Hospitals); and (3) Section 106.043(b), Health and
Safety Code (Advisory Committee).
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2003
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE.
The Substitute on adds an advisory committee and provides qualifications
to serve on the committee.
The Substitute has language that adds "in collaboration/consultation with
Area Healthcare Education Centers." AHECs already administer the mentor
program. The added language simply clarifies this. The Substitute adds
provisions to the governing board of the Rural Foundation in that a person
that is formally affiliated with an association that contracts with the
foundation may not be a board member or employee of the foundation.