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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of the Santa Rosa grant program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 531, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subchapter Q-1 to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER Q-1. SANTA ROSA GRANT PROGRAM |
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Sec. 531.671. DEFINITIONS. (a) In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Advance directive" has the meaning assigned by |
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Section 166.002, Health and Safety Code. |
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(2) "Chronic illness" means a medical condition that |
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traditionally requires frequent use of hospital services, |
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including: |
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(A) tumors of the central nervous system; |
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(B) trauma to the central nervous system; |
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(C) cerebral palsy; and |
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(D) multiple complications due to premature |
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birth. |
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(3) "Grant program" means the Santa Rosa grant program |
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established under this subchapter. |
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(4) "Hospital" means a general hospital, pediatric and |
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adolescent hospital, or special hospital, as those terms are |
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defined by Section 241.003, Health and Safety Code. |
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(5) "Palliative care" has the meaning assigned by |
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Section 142.001, Health and Safety Code. |
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(b) The executive commissioner by rule shall define |
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"low-income" and may further define "chronic illness" for purposes |
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of this subchapter. |
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Sec. 531.672. ESTABLISHMENT OF SANTA ROSA GRANT PROGRAM. |
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The commission shall establish the Santa Rosa grant program to |
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award grants to hospitals for the purpose of: |
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(1) reducing the number of unnecessary emergency room |
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visits by chronically ill, low-income children through the |
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establishment of a primary care environment; |
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(2) decreasing the need for the long-term |
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hospitalization of chronically ill, low-income children by |
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maximizing the use of outpatient services; and |
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(3) reducing the costs associated with providing |
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medical care to chronically ill, low-income children. |
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Sec. 531.673. AWARDING OF GRANTS; ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a) |
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Subject to Section 531.674, the executive commissioner or the |
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executive commissioner's designee shall award grants under this |
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subchapter. |
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(b) The executive commissioner may establish an advisory |
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committee to make recommendations on establishing the grant program |
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and making awards under the grant program. If the executive |
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commissioner establishes an advisory committee under this |
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subsection, the executive commissioner may appoint any of the |
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following persons to the advisory committee: |
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(1) representatives of appropriate public or private |
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entities, including state agencies concerned with health care |
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management; |
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(2) physicians; |
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(3) members of the legislature; |
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(4) representatives of the health insurance industry; |
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and |
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(5) any other persons the executive commissioner |
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determines appropriate. |
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(c) An advisory committee created under this section is not |
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subject to Chapter 2110. |
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Sec. 531.674. ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to receive an |
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award under the grant program, a hospital must have the facilities |
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and staff necessary to provide or facilitate the provision of the |
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following services to a chronically ill child: |
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(1) a primary care physician who must, to the extent |
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possible: |
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(A) see the child at each elective visit to the |
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hospital or clinic affiliated with the hospital; |
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(B) coordinate the child's consultants, |
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medications, and hospitalizations; and |
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(C) if the child is hospitalized: |
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(i) act as the child's attending physician; |
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and |
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(ii) see the child at least five of every |
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seven days that the child is hospitalized; |
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(2) pastoral services; |
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(3) planning services related to creating an advance |
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directive; |
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(4) assistance in identifying and enrolling in |
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community-based service programs as an alternative to |
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hospitalization; and |
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(5) palliative care. |
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Sec. 531.675. ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS IN AWARDING |
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GRANTS. (a) Subject to Subsection (b), the executive commissioner |
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or the executive commissioner's designee may make an award under |
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the grant program to a hospital regardless of whether the hospital |
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provides medical care to children under the Medicaid program or the |
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child health plan program, or whether the care is paid for |
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out-of-pocket or by private health insurance. |
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(b) In awarding grants, the executive commissioner or the |
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executive commissioner's designee shall give preference to |
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hospitals that: |
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(1) frequently provide services to chronically ill |
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children under the Medicaid and child health plan programs; and |
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(2) cooperate with affiliated community-based support |
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services organizations. |
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Sec. 531.676. STATE FUNDS, GIFTS, GRANTS, AND DONATIONS. |
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The commission may use appropriated funds from the state and may |
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solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations from any public or |
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private source to fund the grant program. |
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Sec. 531.677. REPORT. The commission annually shall submit |
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to the standing committees of the senate and house of |
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representatives having primary jurisdiction over health and human |
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services, the governor, and the Legislative Budget Board a report |
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regarding the operation of the grant program. The report must |
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include: |
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(1) a summary of the grant program's impact on: |
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(A) reducing the number of unnecessary emergency |
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room visits by chronically ill, low-income children; |
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(B) decreasing the need for the long-term |
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hospitalization of chronically ill, low-income children; and |
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(C) reducing the costs associated with providing |
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medical care to chronically ill, low-income children; and |
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(2) recommendations regarding changes to the grant |
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program to achieve better outcomes. |
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Sec. 531.678. RULES. The executive commissioner may adopt |
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rules as necessary to implement this subchapter. |
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SECTION 2. (a) Not later than January 1, 2012, the Health |
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and Human Services Commission shall establish and implement the |
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Santa Rosa grant program required by Subchapter Q-1, Chapter 531, |
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Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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(b) Not later than January 1, 2013, the Health and Human |
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Services Commission shall submit the initial report required under |
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Section 531.677, Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |