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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to improving the delivery of health care services to |
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veterans in this state. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter F, Chapter 401, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 401.103 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 401.103. VETERANS HEALTH ISSUES. (a) The governor or |
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the governor's designee may negotiate with the United States |
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Department of Veterans Affairs and any other appropriate federal |
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agency on matters relating to improving the delivery of health care |
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services to veterans in this state, including: |
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(1) establishing a veterans hospital in the Rio Grande |
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Valley region of the state; and |
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(2) ensuring the prompt payment of claims submitted by |
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community health care providers to the United States Department of |
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Veterans Affairs for health care services provided to veterans by |
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those providers. |
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(b) The governor, in consultation with the board of regents |
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of The University of Texas System, may identify shared resources |
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and collaborative opportunities that may be used by the School of |
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Medicine at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and the United |
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States Department of Veterans Affairs to provide quality health |
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care services to residents of the Rio Grande Valley. |
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(c) The governor may request the assistance of the |
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Department of State Health Services, the Health and Human Services |
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Commission, the Texas Veterans Commission, or any other state |
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agency, department, or office in performing an action under this |
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section. The agency, department, or office shall provide the |
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requested assistance. |
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SECTION 2. Section 434.019(a), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(a) The Texas Veterans Commission and the Department of |
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State Health Services, in collaboration with the office of the |
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governor, shall work with the United States Department of Veterans |
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Affairs and any other appropriate federal agency to propose that |
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the federal government establish a veterans hospital in the Rio |
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Grande Valley region of the state. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |