BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1782

By: Cortez

Public Health

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been suggested that, in the aggregate, the lack of access to medical care in certain areas, the decreased mobility of the senior population, the need for affordable health care, and unmet transportation needs emphasize a critical need to expand the use of and increase access to telemedicine medical services, telehealth services, and related mobile applications for those services. H.B. 1782 seeks to address this issue by requiring the Health and Human Services Commission to develop and implement an action plan to increase the use of telemedicine medical services and telehealth services.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 1782 amends the Government Code to require the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to develop and implement an action plan to expand the use of and increase access to telemedicine medical services, telehealth services, and related mobile applications for those services by health care providers for the residents of Texas and increase the availability of critical medical care and health care services to residents in Texas in areas determined by HHSC to be medically underserved, including the border region and rural areas.

H.B. 1782 requires HHSC, in developing and implementing the plan, to seek the assistance of the Texas Hospital Association, the Texas Medical Association, teaching hospitals, and the statewide health coordinating council and to consult with health care providers, advocacy groups, relevant federal agencies, and any other interested persons HHSC considers necessary to develop the plan.

H.B. 1782 requires the plan to include short-term and long-term plan recommendations, including policy initiatives and reforms necessary to implement the plan, statutory and administrative reforms necessary to implement the plan, and options for the funding necessary to implement the plan.

H.B. 1782 requires HHSC to take the following actions:

· submit to the governor and the legislature not later than September 1, 2021, the recommendations, the statutory and administrative reforms, and the funding options described by the bill and the short-term and long-term plans to implement those recommendations, reforms, and options;

· begin implementing the short-term plan not later than September 1, 2021, and fully implement the short-term plan not later than September 1, 2023;

· fully implement the long-term plan not later than September 1, 2029; and

· include the short-term and long-term plans in the update of the coordinated, six-year strategic plan for health and human services.

The action plan expires September 1, 2030.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2019.