By: Buckingham  S.B. No. 922
         (In the Senate - Filed February 15, 2017;
  February 28, 2017, read first time and referred to Committee on
  Health & Human Services; April 18, 2017, reported adversely, with
  favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 9, Nays
  0; April 18, 2017, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 922 By:  Buckingham
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the reimbursement of certain providers under the
  Medicaid program for the provision of telehealth services.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 531.02171 to read as follows:
         Sec. 531.02171.  REIMBURSEMENT FOR CERTAIN TELEHEALTH
  SERVICES.  (a)  In this section, "health professional" means an
  individual who is:
               (1)  licensed, registered, certified, or otherwise
  authorized by this state to practice as a social worker,
  occupational therapist, or speech-language pathologist;
               (2)  a licensed professional counselor; or
               (3)  a licensed specialist in school psychology.
         (b)  The commission shall ensure that Medicaid reimbursement
  is provided to a school district or open-enrollment charter school
  for telehealth services provided through the school district or
  charter school by a health professional, even if the health
  professional is not the patient's primary care provider, if:
               (1)  the school district or charter school is an
  authorized health care provider under Medicaid; and
               (2)  the parent or legal guardian of the patient
  provides consent before the service is provided.
         SECTION 2.  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 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
 
  * * * * *