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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to medical director certification and training |
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requirements at certain nursing facilities. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 242, Health and Safety |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 242.0155 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 242.0155. MEDICAL DIRECTOR CERTIFICATION AND TRAINING |
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REQUIRED. (a) A medical director who is subject to the |
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requirements of Section 242.151(a)(2) must possess a medical |
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director certification from the Post-Acute and Long-Term Care |
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Medical Association or an equivalent certification, as determined |
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by commission rule. |
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(b) A medical director who is subject to the requirements of |
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Section 242.151(a)(2) shall complete a medical director training |
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course developed by the commission that includes instruction on: |
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(1) compliance with applicable local, state, and |
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federal laws; |
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(2) quality improvement processes; |
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(3) infection control protocols; and |
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(4) resident care management techniques. |
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SECTION 2. Section 242.151, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) An institution shall have at least one medical director |
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who: |
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(1) is licensed as a physician in this state; and |
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(2) subject to Subsection (a-1), possesses the medical |
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director certification required under Section 242.0155 and has |
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completed the training course required under that section. |
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(a-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (a)(2), an institution is |
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not required to have a medical director who is certified under |
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Section 242.0155 if the institution: |
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(1) is located in a medically underserved rural area, |
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as defined by commission rule; and |
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(2) demonstrates a good faith effort to comply with |
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Subsection (a)(2) but is unable to successfully recruit a medical |
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director who complies with that subsection. |
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SECTION 3. Not later than January 1, 2026, the executive |
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commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall: |
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(1) adopt the rules necessary to implement Section |
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242.0155, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act, and Section |
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242.151, Health and Safety Code, as amended by this Act; and |
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(2) develop the medical director training course |
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required by Section 242.0155(b), Health and Safety Code, as added |
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by this Act. |
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SECTION 4. The requirements of Section 242.0155, Health and |
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Safety Code, as added by this Act, and Section 242.151, Health and |
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Safety Code, as amended by this Act, apply only to a medical |
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director hired on or after March 1, 2026. A medical director hired |
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before March 1, 2026, is governed by the law as it existed |
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immediately before the effective date of this Act, and that law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |