88R210 SRA-F
 
  By: Johnson S.B. No. 76
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the health literacy advisory committee and health
  literacy in the state health plan.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 104.002, Health and Safety Code, is
  amended by adding Subdivision (6) to read as follows:
               (6)  "Health literacy" means the degree to which an
  individual has the capacity to find, understand, and use health
  information and services to inform health-related decisions and
  actions.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 104, Health and Safety
  Code, is amended by adding Section 104.0156 to read as follows:
         Sec. 104.0156.  HEALTH LITERACY ADVISORY COMMITTEE. (a)  
  The statewide health coordinating council shall establish an
  advisory committee on health literacy composed of representatives
  of relevant interest groups, including the academic community,
  consumer groups, health plans, pharmacies, and associations of
  physicians, dentists, nurses, and hospitals.
         (b)  Members of the advisory committee shall elect one member
  as presiding officer.
         (c)  The advisory committee shall develop a long-range plan
  for improving health literacy in this state. The committee shall
  update the plan at least once every two years.
         (d)  In developing the long-range plan, the advisory
  committee shall study the economic impact of low health literacy on
  state health programs and health insurance coverage for state
  residents.  The advisory committee shall:
               (1)  identify primary risk factors contributing to low
  health literacy;
               (2)  examine methods for health care practitioners,
  health care facilities, and other persons to address the health
  literacy of patients and other health care consumers;
               (3)  examine the effectiveness of using quality
  measures in state health programs to improve health literacy;
               (4)  identify strategies for expanding the use of plain
  language instructions for patients; and
               (5)  examine the impact of improved health literacy on
  enhancing patient safety, reducing preventable events, and
  increasing medication adherence to attain greater
  cost-effectiveness and better patient outcomes in the provision of
  health care.
         (e)  Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year,
  the advisory committee shall submit the long-range plan developed
  or updated under this section to the governor, the lieutenant
  governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and each
  member of the legislature.
         (f)  An advisory committee member serves without
  compensation but is entitled to reimbursement for the member's 
  travel expenses as provided by Chapter 660, Government Code, and
  the General Appropriations Act.
         (g)  Sections 2110.002, 2110.003, and 2110.008, Government
  Code, do not apply to the advisory committee.
         (h)  Meetings of the advisory committee under this section
  are subject to Chapter 551, Government Code.
         SECTION 3.  Sections 104.022(e) and (f), Health and Safety
  Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (e)  The state health plan shall be developed and used in
  accordance with applicable state and federal law. The plan must
  identify:
               (1)  major statewide health concerns, including the
  prevalence of low health literacy among health care consumers;
               (2)  the availability and use of current health
  resources of the state, including resources associated with
  information technology and state-supported institutions of higher
  education; and
               (3)  future health service, information technology,
  and facility needs of the state.
         (f)  The state health plan must:
               (1)  propose strategies for the correction of major
  deficiencies in the service delivery system;
               (2)  propose strategies for improving health literacy
  to attain greater cost-effectiveness and better patient outcomes in
  the provision of health care;
               (3) [(2)]  propose strategies for incorporating
  information technology in the service delivery system;
               (4) [(3)]  propose strategies for involving
  state-supported institutions of higher education in providing
  health services and for coordinating those efforts with health and
  human services agencies in order to close gaps in services; and
               (5) [(4)]  provide direction for the state's
  legislative and executive decision-making processes to implement
  the strategies proposed by the plan.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.