| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the creation of a prescription medication information |
|
|
literacy plan and pilot programs to implement that plan. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Chapter 107A, Health and Safety Code, is amended |
|
|
by designating Sections 107A.001, 107A.002, and 107A.003, Health |
|
|
and Safety Code, as Subchapter A, Chapter 107A, Health and Safety |
|
|
Code, and adding a heading to Subchapter A to read as follows: |
|
|
SUBCHAPTER A. GENERAL PROVISIONS |
|
|
SECTION 2. Chapter 107A, Health and Safety Code, is amended |
|
|
by adding Subchapter B to read as follows: |
|
|
SUBCHAPTER B. PRESCRIPTION MEDICATION INFORMATION LITERACY |
|
|
Sec. 107A.051. DEVELOPMENT OF LITERACY PLAN. (a) The |
|
|
office shall develop a prescription medication information |
|
|
literacy plan to improve patient compliance with physician |
|
|
instructions for taking prescription medication. |
|
|
(b) Medication literature created or modified under the |
|
|
plan must: |
|
|
(1) be appropriate for the literacy level of the |
|
|
general population of this state, including persons who receive |
|
|
medical assistance under Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, and the |
|
|
parents or guardians of children covered by the child health plan |
|
|
under Chapter 62, Health and Safety Code; |
|
|
(2) be written in a format that is easy to understand; |
|
|
(3) be available in English, Spanish, and any other |
|
|
language appropriate to the demographic needs of the area in which |
|
|
the pharmacy distributing the prescriptions is located; and |
|
|
(4) include additional information to assist a person |
|
|
in complying with physician instructions for taking the medication |
|
|
and receiving the best therapeutic benefit from the medication. |
|
|
(c) The office shall identify the best methods and practices |
|
|
for producing medically accurate information that meets the |
|
|
criteria in Subsection (b) and disseminating that information. |
|
|
Sec. 107A.052. PILOT PROGRAMS. (a) The office shall create |
|
|
pilot programs to implement the provisions of the prescription |
|
|
medication information literacy plan developed under Section |
|
|
107A.051. |
|
|
(b) In selecting locations for the pilot programs under this |
|
|
section, the office shall identify areas in which a significant |
|
|
portion of the population is covered by: |
|
|
(1) the medical assistance program under Chapter 32, |
|
|
Human Resources Code; or |
|
|
(2) the child health plan under Chapter 62, Health and |
|
|
Safety Code. |
|
|
(c) The office shall implement: |
|
|
(1) at least one pilot program in a rural area; and |
|
|
(2) at least one pilot program in an urban area. |
|
|
(d) The office may implement pilot programs in addition to |
|
|
the pilot programs described by Subsection (c) if funding is |
|
|
available. |
|
|
(e) The office may solicit and accept gifts, grants, and |
|
|
donations to support the pilot programs under this section. |
|
|
(f) The office shall provide training and outreach to |
|
|
pharmacists and pharmacy staff in areas covered by a pilot program |
|
|
under this section to ensure proper use of the literature developed |
|
|
under Section 107A.051. |
|
|
(g) Each pharmacy in an area covered by the pilot program |
|
|
shall implement the provisions of the plan developed under Section |
|
|
107A.051. |
|
|
(h) The executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
|
|
Services Commission may adopt rules necessary for the |
|
|
implementation of the pilot programs under this section. |
|
|
(i) Not later than January 1, 2013, the office shall submit |
|
|
a report to the legislature on: |
|
|
(1) the efficacy of pilot programs implemented under |
|
|
this section; and |
|
|
(2) recommendations for legislation to improve health |
|
|
prescription medication information literacy. |
|
|
(j) This section expires September 1, 2013. |
|
|
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, 2011. |