BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2873

By: Howard

Health Care Reform, Select

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Current reporting requirements for the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) have

overextended staff trying to cover the number of individual reports, making it difficult to dedicate the necessary time to produce meaningful information. This is particularly true of the number of reports related to maternal health. Better birth outcomes is a priority for the state and deserves significant and consistent time and attention. This is both a costly and inefficient way to gather important data. A consolidated strategic plan would allow HHSC to unite behind a single plan with set priorities, goals, and deliverables, rather than trying to address requirements in multiple reports with limited resources. This would give HHSC staff more time to invest into providing consistent updates and would allow HHSC to better demonstrate progress on their priorities to the legislature. H.B. 2873 seeks to consolidate recurring HHSC maternal health reports required by the legislature into one biennial strategic plan.

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. 2873 amends the Government Code and Health and Safety Code to consolidate or remove certain planning and reporting requirements relating to maternal health.

H.B. 2873 requires the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to develop and implement a strategic plan for improving maternal health outcomes under programs administered by the state that provide services to women during and following a pregnancy. The strategic plan must include strategies for the following:

· improving access to screening, referral, treatment, and support services for perinatal depression, hyperemesis gravidarum, and other major pregnancy-related health complications;

· improving the quality of maternal health care provided under Medicaid, the CHIP perinatal program, other health care programs administered by the state, and state health plans; and

· reducing pregnancy-related deaths, focusing on the most prevalent causes of those deaths.

The bill requires HHSC, in developing the strategic plan, to consult with the Department of State Health Services (DSHS), the statewide health coordinating council, and other maternal health experts as HHSC determines necessary. The bill requires HHSC, not later than December 31 of each even-numbered year, to provide the strategic plan to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, the House Public Health Committee, and the House Human Services Committee.  

H.B. 2873 removes and repeals provisions setting out requirements for HHSC relating to the following:

· development and implementation of a postpartum depression strategic plan and a hyperemesis gravidarum strategic plan;

· preparation of an annual report, to be submitted to the legislature and made available to the public, that summarizes HHSC's progress in developing statewide initiatives to improve the quality of maternal health care services and outcomes for women in Texas and each managed care organization's progress in incorporating those initiatives into their managed care plans; and

· submission to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker, the Legislative Budget Board, and appropriate standing committees of the following reports:

o a biennial report summarizing the actions taken to address maternal morbidity and reduce maternal mortality rates; and

o a biennial report that includes a summary of the efforts of HHSC and DSHS to accomplish certain tasks relating to pregnancy-related deaths, severe maternal mortality, and postpartum depression and a summary of the maternal health and safety initiative report.

The bill also repeals an obsolete requirement for a one-time report to the legislature on the program to deliver prenatal and postpartum care through telehealth or telemedicine medical services in certain counties.

H.B. 2873 repeals the following Health and Safety Code provisions:

· Section 32.046;

· Section 32.047;

· Sections 32.155(d) and (e);

· Section 34.0158; and

· Section 34.020(f).

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.