BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1467

By: Hinojosa, Juan "Chuy"

Public Health

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The bill sponsor has informed the committee that hospitals and doctors need to know when their patients pass away so they can keep their records correct and up to date; however, doctors and healthcare provider do not always receive timely information regarding the passing of a patient who dies outside of a hospital or clinic. A 2023 study from the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) found that about 20 percent of patients reviewed whose medical records indicated were alive with a serious illness were actually already deceased. The bill sponsor has further informed the committee that this mistake can cause issues for families of deceased patients who might receive appointment reminders, medical bills, or other messages, which can be upsetting and frustrating, and other issues such as prescriptions unnecessarily being filled, Medicare program issues, and opportunities for identity fraud. S.B. 1467 seeks to ensure hospitals in Texas can receive updated mortality information from the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) by requiring DSHS to implement a procedure for sharing certain basic information regarding individuals who have passed away with qualifying Texas hospitals.

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

S.B. 1467 amends the Health and Safety Code to require the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to implement an efficient and effective procedure to provide death information to a hospital licensed under the Texas Hospital Licensing Law and designated as a Level I trauma facility, as defined under the Emergency Health Care Act, to assist with the hospital's participation in the Medicaid managed care program. The bill requires the procedure implemented to provide, at a minimum and for each deceased person for whom a death certificate is filed with a local registrar in Texas, the deceased's county of residence, date of birth, and full name. The bill authorizes DSHS, subject to available resources, to use the procedure implemented pursuant to the bill to provide death information to a licensed hospital that is not designated as a Level I trauma facility.

If before implementing any provision of the bill 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 must request the waiver or authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the waiver or authorization is granted.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2025.