79R12498 MCK-F


By:  Chavez                                                       H.B. No. 2796

Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2796:                                   

By:  Castro                                                   C.S.H.B. No. 2796



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the provision of health care in areas near the 
Texas-Mexico border.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Chapter 151, Education Code, is amended by 
adding Section 151.011 to read as follows:
	Sec. 151.011.  BORDER AREA HEALTH CARE DELIVERY STUDY.  (a)  
In this section, "border area" includes each county any part of 
which is located within 250 miles of the border between this state 
and the United Mexican States.
	(b)  The institute shall study the health care delivery 
system in the border area.  As part of the study the institute 
shall:
		(1)  identify the ways in which non-physician health 
care providers are being used to provide health care services in 
border areas;
		(2)  determine which border areas have been successful 
and unsuccessful in recruiting and retaining physicians and 
non-physician health care providers to practice in the border 
areas;
		(3)  identify the non-physician health care providers 
who could, within the scope of the health care providers' license, 
certification, or registration, supplement the provision of health 
care services in the border areas;
		(4)  examine whether non-physician health care 
providers, delivery of services by non-physician health care 
providers in nontraditional settings, or delivery of services by 
non-physician health care providers with additional treatment 
authority would provide a benefit in the delivery of health care 
services in border areas; and
		(5)  recommend pilot programs to test and implement the 
study recommendations.
	(c)  In performing the study under Subsection (b), the 
institute shall consult with a variety of the health care 
practitioners in the border area, including emergency medical 
service providers, physicians, hospitals, health clinics, family 
planning clinics, optometrists, podiatrists, advanced nurse 
practitioners, and chiropractors.
	(d)  Not later than January 1, 2007, the institute shall 
report the results of the study conducted under this section in 
writing to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of 
the house of representatives, and the members of the legislature.  
The report must include any proposed legislation the institute, 
through this study, determines will facilitate the improvement of 
the delivery of health care in border areas.
	(e)  This section expires September 1, 2007.                            
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.