84R12033 EES-D
 
  By: Watson S.B. No. 1471
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the use of home telemonitoring services under the
  Medicaid program.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 531.02164, Government Code, is amended
  by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (f) to read as
  follows:
         (c)  The program required under this section must:
               (1)  provide that home telemonitoring services are
  available only to a person [persons] who:
                     (A)  is [are] diagnosed with a condition for which
  the commission makes an evidence-based determination that
  monitoring through the use of home telemonitoring services is
  cost-effective and feasible [one or more of the following
  conditions:
                           [(i)  pregnancy;
                           [(ii)  diabetes;
                           [(iii)  heart disease;
                           [(iv)  cancer;
                           [(v)     chronic obstructive pulmonary
  disease;
                           [(vi)  hypertension;
                           [(vii)  congestive heart failure;
                           [(viii)     mental illness or serious emotional
  disturbance;
                           [(ix)  asthma;
                           [(x)  myocardial infarction; or
                           [(xi)  stroke]; and
                     (B)  exhibits [exhibit] two or more of the
  following risk factors:
                           (i)  two or more hospitalizations in the
  prior 12-month period;
                           (ii)  frequent or recurrent emergency room
  admissions;
                           (iii)  a documented history of poor
  adherence to ordered medication regimens;
                           (iv)  a documented history of falls in the
  prior six-month period;
                           (v)  limited or absent informal support
  systems;
                           (vi)  living alone or being home alone for
  extended periods of time; and
                           (vii)  a documented history of care access
  challenges;
               (2)  ensure that clinical information gathered by a
  home health agency or hospital while providing home telemonitoring
  services is shared with the patient's physician; and
               (3)  ensure that the program does not duplicate disease
  management program services provided under Section 32.057, Human
  Resources Code.
         (f)  The commission may conduct pilot projects to collect
  evidence regarding the effectiveness of using home telemonitoring
  services to monitor certain conditions. 
         SECTION 2.  Section 531.02176, Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         Sec. 531.02176.  EXPIRATION OF MEDICAID REIMBURSEMENT FOR
  PROVISION OF HOME TELEMONITORING SERVICES.  Notwithstanding any
  other law, the commission may not reimburse providers under the
  Medicaid program for the provision of home telemonitoring services
  on or after September 1, 2021 [2015].
         SECTION 3.  As soon as practicable after the effective date
  of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human
  Services Commission shall adopt necessary rules to implement the
  changes in law made by this Act.
         SECTION 4.  If before implementing any provision of this Act
  a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a
  federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,
  the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or
  authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the
  waiver or authorization is granted.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.