By: Howard, Morales of Maverick H.B. No. 2873
        (Senate Sponsor - Blanco)
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 3, 2023;
  May 5, 2023, read first time and referred to Committee on Health &
  Human Services; May 19, 2023, reported favorably by the following
  vote:  Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 19, 2023, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to a strategic plan for improving maternal health,
  including the consolidation and repeal of certain planning and
  reporting requirements.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 531.0223 to read as follows:
         Sec. 531.0223.  MATERNAL HEALTH STRATEGIC PLAN. (a)  The
  commission shall develop and implement a strategic plan for
  improving maternal health outcomes under programs administered by
  this state that provide services to women during and following a
  pregnancy. The strategic plan must include strategies for:
               (1)  improving access to screening, referral,
  treatment, and support services for perinatal depression,
  hyperemesis gravidarum, and other major pregnancy-related health
  complications;
               (2)  improving the quality of maternal health care
  provided under Medicaid, the child health plan perinatal program,
  other health care programs administered by this state, and state
  health plans; and
               (3)  reducing pregnancy-related deaths, focusing on
  the most prevalent causes of those deaths.
         (b)  In developing the strategic plan, the commission shall
  consult with the Department of State Health Services, the statewide
  health coordinating council, and other maternal health experts as
  the commission determines necessary.
         (c)  Not later than December 31 of each even-numbered year,
  the commission shall provide the strategic plan developed under
  this section 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.
         SECTION 2.  Section 34.0155, Health and Safety Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 34.0155.  OPTIONS AND STRATEGIES FOR REDUCING [REPORT
  ON] PREGNANCY-RELATED DEATHS, SEVERE MATERNAL MORBIDITY, AND
  POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION.  The commission shall:
               (1)  evaluate options for reducing pregnancy-related
  deaths, focusing on the most prevalent causes of pregnancy-related
  deaths as identified in the joint biennial report required under
  Section 34.015, and for treating postpartum depression in
  economically disadvantaged women; and
               (2)  in coordination with the department and the review
  committee, identify strategies to:
                     (A)  lower costs of providing medical assistance
  under Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, related to severe maternal
  morbidity and chronic illness; and
                     (B)  improve quality outcomes related to the
  underlying causes of severe maternal morbidity and chronic
  illness[; and
               [(3)  not later than December 1 of each even-numbered
  year, submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker
  of the house of representatives, the Legislative Budget Board, and
  the appropriate standing committees of the legislature a written
  report that includes:
                     [(A)  a summary of the commission's and
  department's efforts to accomplish the tasks described by
  Subdivisions (1) and (2); and
                     [(B)  a summary of the report required by Section
  34.0156].
         SECTION 3.  The following provisions of the Health and
  Safety Code are repealed:
               (1)  Section 32.046;
               (2)  Section 32.047;
               (3)  Sections 32.155(d) and (e);
               (4)  Section 34.0158; and
               (5)  Section 34.020(f).
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
 
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