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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to developing a pilot program to provide telemedicine |
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medical services to certain children. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 32.076 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 32.076. PILOT PROGRAM FOR TELEMEDICINE MEDICAL |
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SERVICES FOR CHILDREN WITH CHRONIC OR COMPLEX MEDICAL NEEDS. (a) |
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In this section, "telemedicine medical service" means a health care |
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service that is provided by a physician for purposes of patient |
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assessment, diagnosis, consultation, or treatment, or for the |
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transfer of medical data, and that requires the use of advanced |
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telecommunications technology, other than telephone or facsimile |
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technology, including: |
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(1) compressed digital interactive video, audio, or |
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data transmission; |
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(2) clinical data transmission using computer imaging |
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by way of still-image capture and store and forward; and |
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(3) other technology that facilitates access to health |
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care services or medical specialty expertise. |
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(b) The department shall develop and implement a pilot |
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program to: |
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(1) enable an eligible child described under |
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Subsection (c) to receive medical assistance benefits for health |
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care services provided in the child's residence through |
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telemedicine medical services; and |
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(2) provide reimbursement to a pediatric |
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subspecialist who provides telemedicine medical services under |
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Subdivision (1). |
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(c) A child is eligible for inclusion in the pilot program |
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under this section if the child: |
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(1) is a recipient of medical assistance; and |
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(2) has been diagnosed with: |
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(A) an end-stage solid organ disease; or |
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(B) a condition that, as determined by department |
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rule, requires: |
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(i) mechanical ventilation; |
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(ii) the child to be technology-dependent; |
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or |
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(iii) the child to be treated by three or |
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more specialists. |
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(d) The pilot program must require that the health care |
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services provided through telemedicine medical services: |
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(1) are provided by a pediatric subspecialist who: |
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(A) has clinical privileges at a tertiary |
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pediatric health care system that is associated with an academic |
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medical center; and |
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(B) has previously treated the child in person; |
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and |
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(2) do not replace the health care services the child |
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is otherwise receiving. |
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(e) The department shall conduct the pilot program in: |
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(1) Dallas, Tarrant, and Travis Counties; and |
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(2) the Northeast Texas and Central Texas Medicaid |
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Rural Service Area Regions. |
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(f) Not later than January 1, 2019, the department shall |
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report to the legislature on the results of the pilot program. The |
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report must include: |
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(1) an evaluation of the clinical outcomes of the |
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pilot program, including the program's success in reducing expected |
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emergency department visits; and |
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(2) the program's impact on medical costs. |
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(g) The executive commissioner may adopt rules to implement |
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this section. |
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(h) This section expires January 1, 2019. |
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SECTION 2. If before implementing any provision of this Act |
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a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a |
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federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, |
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the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or |
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authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the |
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waiver or authorization is granted. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |