By: Shelton H.B. No. 3379

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the appointment of members of the Correctional Managed Health Care Committee, and the authority of the Correctional Managed Health Care Committee to direct the allocation of legislative appropriations for the purpose of providing health care to the persons confined by the department.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 501.133(a), Government Code, is amended to read as follows. COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP. (a) The committee consists of nine members appointed as follows:

(1) one member employed full-time by the department appointed by the executive director;

(2) one member employed full-time by The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston appointed by the president of the medical branch;

(3) one member employed full-time by the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center appointed by the president of the university; and

(4) [three] six public members appointed by the governor who are not affiliated with the department or with any entity with which the committee has contracted to provide health care services under this chapter, at least [two] three of whom are licensed to practice medicine in this state;

Section 501.147, Government Code is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 501.147. COMMITTEE AUTHORITY TO CONTRACT. (a) The committee may enter into a contract on behalf of the department to fully implement the managed health care plan under this subchapter. A contract entered into under this subsection must include provisions necessary to ensure that The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston is eligible for and makes reasonable efforts to participate in the purchase of prescription drugs under Section 340B, Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. Section 256b).

(b) The committee may, in addition to providing services to the department, contract with other governmental or non-governmental entities for similar health care services and integrate those services into the managed health care provider network.

(c) In contracting for implementation of the managed health care plan, the committee, to the extent possible, shall integrate the managed health care provider network with the public medical schools of this state and the component and affiliated hospitals of those medical schools. The contract must authorize The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston to contract directly with the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center for the provision of health care services. The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center shall cooperate with The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in its efforts to participate in the purchase of prescription drugs under Section 340B, Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. Section 256b).

(d) For services that the public medical schools and their components and affiliates cannot provide, the committee shall initiate a competitive bidding process for contracts with other providers for medical care to persons confined by the department.

(e) In the exercise of the authority in this section the committee shall consider the cost of allocation proposals which guarantee compliance within the amounts appropriated for this purpose in the General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.