S.B. 610 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


S.B. 610
By: Nelson
Public Health
Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 
Today in Texas out of 254 counties, 196 are considered rural and nearly
all are either medically underserved or have an insufficient number of
health care professionals.  Sixty-two rural counties do not have a
hospital, 26 had no primary care physician in 1998, and 13 had only one
health care practitioner.  Urban areas are experiencing declining number
of health care professionals who will accept Medicaid, low-income patients
or uninsured patients.  Additionally, there is also a growing crisis in
Texas hospital emergency rooms.  Houston, Austin, and El Paso newspapers
have carried major stories on the growing crisis in emergency care.  The
Houston Chronicle reported in January that on one "exceptionally bad day"
up to 22 of the city's 29 hospitals were on diversion status.   

One option adopted by many Texas communities to address a shortage of
health care services is to establish a Federally Qualified Health Center
(FQHC.)  These facilities are medical clinics that provide health care
services to all Texans regardless of their possession of health insurance
or their ability to pay.  By federal law, each FQHC must be located in a
medically underserved area of the state.  Today, Texas' 181 FQHCs are
located in 58 counties of both rural and poor inner city communities where
there is limited or non-existent access to other primary health care
providers. FQHCs bring federal health care funds into Texas communities
and they provide an alternative to high cost ERs.   Currently, Texas has
an insufficient number of FQHCs to meet the needs of the areas that would
qualify for the funds. The "Save Our Ers" coalition estimates that Houston
could qualify for 12 additional FQHCs. The bill authorizes the Texas
Department of Health's Bureau of Primary Care to provide grants and
technical assistance to communities for the establishment of federally
qualified health centers. 

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
Amends Chapter 31, Health and Safety Code by adding 31.017.  Allows the
Department of Health to make grants to establish or expand existing
facilities in order to qualify for the federally qualified health centers
(FQHC) program.  The department may make planning grants, development
grants, capital improvement grants, and grants for transitional operating
grants.   

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2003