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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a grant program for hospitals to assist with certain |
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costs incurred by families of chronically ill children receiving |
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hospital care. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 526, Government Code, as |
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effective April 1, 2025, is amended by adding Section 526.0061 to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 526.0061. GRANT PROGRAM FOR HOSPITALS TO ASSIST WITH |
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CERTAIN COSTS RELATED TO CARE PROVIDED TO CHRONICALLY ILL CHILDREN. |
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(a) In this section: |
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(1) "Grant program" means the grant program for |
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hospitals to assist with certain costs related to care provided to |
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chronically ill children established under this section. |
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(2) "Hospital" means a hospital licensed under Chapter |
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241, Health and Safety Code. |
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(b) The executive commissioner by rule shall establish and |
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the commission shall administer a grant program for hospitals to |
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assist families of chronically ill children with the costs of food |
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and parking while a child receives health care services related to |
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the child's chronic illness at a hospital. |
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(c) The rules adopted by the executive commissioner |
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establishing the grant program under this section must include |
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rules: |
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(1) prescribing eligibility criteria, application |
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procedures, and a scoring system for awarding grants under the |
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grant program to eligible hospitals; and |
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(2) designating the diagnoses considered chronic |
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illnesses for purposes of the grant program. |
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(d) A hospital may provide money awarded under the grant |
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program only: |
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(1) to a parent, guardian, or caretaker of a child who: |
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(A) is diagnosed with a chronic illness |
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designated by the executive commissioner; and |
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(B) meets the financial eligibility requirements |
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for Medicaid; and |
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(2) for the purpose of reimbursing the parent, |
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guardian, or caretaker for the actual costs incurred for parking at |
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and purchasing food from the hospital at which the chronically ill |
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child is hospitalized or otherwise receives care for the chronic |
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illness. |
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(e) The commission shall award grants as provided by this |
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section from available money, including money appropriated for the |
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purpose of the grant program. |
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(f) The commission may accept gifts, grants, and donations |
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from any source for the purpose of the grant program. |
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(g) Beginning on the first anniversary of the date a |
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hospital is awarded money under the grant program, the hospital |
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shall annually submit to the commission a written report detailing |
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the use of grant money the hospital received under the program and |
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related outcomes as determined by the executive commissioner. |
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(h) The commission shall review the grant program at least |
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once every four years and determine whether the program should be |
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continued or modified. |
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SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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Services Commission shall adopt rules to implement Section |
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526.0061, Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |