By: Nelson S.B. No. 287
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the use of electronic prescribing data transmission
  systems under the state Medicaid program.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 531.02411, Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         Sec. 531.02411.  STREAMLINING ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSES.  
  (a)  The commission shall make every effort using the commission's
  existing resources to reduce the paperwork and other administrative
  burdens placed on Medicaid recipients and providers and other
  participants in the Medicaid program and shall use technology and
  efficient business practices to decrease those burdens.  In
  addition, the commission shall make every effort to improve the
  business practices associated with the administration of the
  Medicaid program by any method the commission determines is
  cost-effective, including:
               (1)  expanding the utilization of the electronic claims
  payment system;
               (2)  developing an Internet portal system for prior
  authorization requests;
               (3)  encouraging Medicaid providers to submit their
  program participation applications electronically;
               (4)  ensuring that the Medicaid provider application is
  easy to locate on the Internet so that providers may conveniently
  apply to the program;
               (5)  working with federal partners to take advantage of
  every opportunity to maximize additional federal funding for
  technology in the Medicaid program; and
               (6)  encouraging the increased use of medical
  technology by providers, including increasing their use of:
                     (A)  electronic communications between patients
  and their physicians or other health care providers;
                     (B)  electronic prescribing tools that provide
  up-to-date payer formulary information at the time a physician or
  other health care practitioner writes a prescription and that
  support the electronic transmission of a prescription;
                     (C)  ambulatory computerized order entry systems
  that facilitate physician and other health care practitioner orders
  at the point of care for medications and laboratory and
  radiological tests;
                     (D)  inpatient computerized order entry systems
  to reduce errors, improve health care quality, and lower costs in a
  hospital setting;
                     (E)  regional data-sharing to coordinate patient
  care across a community for patients who are treated by multiple
  providers; and
                     (F)  electronic intensive care unit technology to
  allow physicians to fully monitor hospital patients remotely.
         (b)  The commission shall develop and implement a plan
  designed to encourage the increased use by Medicaid providers of
  the medical technology described by Subsection (a)(6)(B). The plan
  must include a goal of achieving by September 1, 2014, a specified
  percentage increase in the use of electronic prescribing by
  Medicaid providers. Not later than January 1, 2010, the commission
  shall submit a report to the legislature describing the plan
  developed by the commission in accordance with this subsection.
  Not later than January 1, 2011, and January 1, 2013, the commission
  shall submit a report to the legislature regarding the
  implementation and results of the plan. This subsection expires
  September 1, 2014.
         SECTION 2.  If before implementing any provision of this Act
  a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a
  federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,
  the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or
  authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the
  waiver or authorization is granted.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2009.