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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to an annual report on certain uncompensated hospital care |
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costs. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter G, Chapter 525, Government Code, as |
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effective April 1, 2025, is amended by adding Section 525.0304 to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 525.0304. ANNUAL REPORT ON UNCOMPENSATED HOSPITAL CARE |
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PROVIDED TO PERSONS NOT LAWFULLY PRESENT. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Person not lawfully present" means a person who |
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is not: |
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(A) a citizen or national of the United States; |
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or |
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(B) an alien who is lawfully admitted for |
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permanent residence in the United States under the federal |
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Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. Section 1101 et seq.) or |
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authorized to be employed by that Act or the United States attorney |
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general. |
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(2) "Uncompensated hospital care" means health care |
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services provided by a hospital to a patient for which the hospital |
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does not receive payment in full for those services. |
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(b) Not later than November 1 of each year, the commission |
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shall prepare and submit to the governor and the legislature a |
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written report for the preceding state fiscal year on: |
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(1) the cost of uncompensated hospital care incurred |
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by hospitals in this state to provide health care services to |
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patients who were persons not lawfully present at the time health |
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care services were provided to those patients; and |
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(2) the impact that incurring the costs described by |
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Subdivision (1) had on those hospitals. |
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(c) For purposes of preparing the report required by |
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Subsection (b), the executive commissioner by rule shall require |
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each hospital in this state that provides uncompensated hospital |
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care to: |
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(1) include on the hospital's patient intake form: |
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(A) a question regarding the patient's |
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citizenship or immigration status; and |
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(B) a statement that the patient's response to |
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that question will not affect any health care service provided to |
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the patient; and |
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(2) quarterly submit to the commission in the manner |
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and format prescribed by the commission a written report on: |
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(A) the number of patients who received health |
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care services from the hospital during the preceding quarter who |
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were persons not lawfully present at the time the hospital provided |
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health care services to the patients; |
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(B) the total cost of uncompensated hospital care |
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incurred by the hospital as a result of providing health care |
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services to the patients who were persons not lawfully present at |
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the time the hospital provided health care services to the |
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patients; and |
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(C) the impact on the hospital of providing |
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uncompensated hospital care to patients who were persons not |
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lawfully present at the time the hospital provided health care |
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services to the patients. |
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(d) A patient's response to the question described by |
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Subsection (c)(1)(A) may not affect the health care services |
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provided to the patient. |
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(e) The commission shall ensure the reports required under |
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this section do not include any personal identifying information. |
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SECTION 2. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective |
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date of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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Services Commission shall adopt the rules required by Section |
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525.0304, Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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(b) Notwithstanding Section 525.0304, Government Code, as |
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added by this Act, the Health and Human Services Commission is not |
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required to submit the initial report required by that section |
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until November 1, 2027. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |