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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the provision of and funding for certain primary health |
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care services; repealing a fee. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 31.002(a)(1), (3), and (4), Health and |
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Safety Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(1) "Facility" includes an entity providing primary [a
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hospital, ambulatory surgical center, public health clinic,
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birthing center, outpatient clinic, and community] health care |
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services [center]. |
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(3) "Other benefit" means a benefit, other than a |
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benefit provided under this chapter, to which an individual is |
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entitled for payment of the costs of primary health care services, |
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including benefits available from: |
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(A) an insurance policy, group health plan, or |
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prepaid medical care plan; |
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(B) Title XVIII, [or] XIX, or XXI of the Social |
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Security Act (42 U.S.C. Section 1395 et seq., [or] Section 1396 et |
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seq., or Section 1397aa et seq.); or |
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(C) [the Veterans Administration;
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[(D)
the Civilian Health and Medical Program of
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the Uniformed Services;
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[(E)
workers' compensation or any other
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compulsory employers' insurance program;
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[(F)] a public program created by federal or |
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state law, or by an ordinance or rule of a municipality or political |
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subdivision of the state, excluding benefits created by the |
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establishment of a municipal or county hospital, a joint |
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municipal-county hospital, a county hospital authority, a hospital |
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district, or the facilities of a publicly supported medical |
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school[; or
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[(G)
a cause of action for medical, facility, or
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medical transportation expenses, or a settlement or judgment based
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on the cause of action, if the expenses are related to the need for
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services provided under this chapter]. |
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(4) "Primary health care services" may include |
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[includes]: |
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(A) a health service related to family, internal, |
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pediatric, obstetric, or gynecological medicine that is provided by |
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a physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered |
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nurse [diagnosis and treatment]; |
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(B) diagnostic laboratory and radiological |
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services; |
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(C) emergency medical services; |
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(D) [(C)] family planning services; |
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(E) [(D)] preventive health services, including: |
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(i) prenatal and perinatal services; |
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(ii) appropriate cancer screening; |
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(iii) well-child services; |
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(iv) immunizations against diseases that are |
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preventable by vaccines; |
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(v) screenings for elevated blood levels, |
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communicable diseases, and cholesterol levels; |
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(vi) pediatric eye, ear, and dental |
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screenings to determine the need for vision and hearing correction |
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and dental care; and |
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(vii) preventive dental services; |
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(F) [(E)] health education; |
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(G) [(F)
laboratory, X-ray, nuclear medicine, or
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other appropriate diagnostic services;
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[(G) nutrition services;
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[(H) health screening;
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[(I) home health care;
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[(J) dental care;
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[(K) transportation;
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[(L)] prescription drugs and devices and durable |
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supplies, as appropriate; |
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[(M) environmental health services;
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[(N) podiatry services;] and |
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(H) integrated mental health [(O) social] |
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services. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 31.003(c), (d), (e), (f), and (g), |
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Health and Safety Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(c) The department [If budgetary limitations exist, the
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board by rule] shall establish a system of priorities that includes |
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factors relating to the types of services provided, to the extent |
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possible the statewide coverage of the services, and the |
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[geographic areas covered, or classes of] individuals eligible for |
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services. |
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(d) The department [board] shall adopt rules under |
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Subsection (c) relating to the services provided, to the extent |
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possible the statewide coverage of the services, [geographic areas
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covered] and the [classes of] individuals eligible for services |
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[according to a statewide determination of the need for services]. |
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(e) The department [board] shall adopt rules under |
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Subsection (c) relating to the types of services provided according |
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to the set of service priorities established under this subsection. |
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Initial service priorities shall focus on the funding of, provision |
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of, and access to: |
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(1) health services related to family, internal, |
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pediatric, obstetric, or gynecological medicine that is provided by |
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a physician, physician assistant, or advanced practice registered |
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nurse [diagnosis and treatment]; |
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(2) emergency medical services; |
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(3) family planning services; |
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(4) preventive health services, including |
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immunizations; |
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(5) health education; and |
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(6) laboratory, X-ray, [nuclear medicine,] or other |
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appropriate diagnostic services. |
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(f) Except as limited by this section, the department shall |
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develop an integrated framework for the equitable provision of |
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services throughout the state and shall use existing public and |
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private health[, transportation, and education] resources. |
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(g) The department shall ensure that an approved service |
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provider makes every reasonable effort to collect appropriate |
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reimbursement for its costs in providing primary health care |
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services to persons who are entitled to receive other benefits |
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[board should require that the services provided under this chapter
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be reserved to the greatest extent possible for low-income
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individuals who are not eligible for similar services through any
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other publicly funded program]. |
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SECTION 3. Section 31.012(a), Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The department [board] may authorize [charge fees for
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the services provided directly by the department or through] |
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approved providers to charge a reasonable copayment for services |
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provided in accordance with Subchapter D, Chapter 12. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |