Legislative Measures Address Long Term Care
Health care was not at the top of legislators’ agenda this session but several bills were passed that will affect long term care facilities in Texas.
- Senate Bill 914, establishes a council to make recommendations regarding the survey and Informal Dispute Resolution process for nursing facilities. They will report their findings to the next Legislature.
CLICK HERE TO READ SB 914
- HB 3523 will extend to 2021 several protections for nursing facilities under Medicaid managed care. Among those protections are that HHSC will continue to set rates until at least that date.
CLICK HERE TO READ HB 3523
- SB 304, the so-called “three strikes bill”, allows the HHSC commissioner to close down a nursing facility that is tagged with three Level 4 violations on separate surveys within a two year period. THCA worked with legislators to make several positive changes to the bill, including language that the commissioner should consider the report of a rapid response team before closing a facility
CLICK HERE TO READ SB 304
- A pilot program for drug donations from health care facilities will be established with the passage of SB 1243. The pilot is expected to take place in Fort Worth.
CLICK HERE TO READ SB 1243
- SB 200, which was the Sunset bill for HHSC, will abolish DADS and begin consolidating its functions into HHSC in September, 2016.
THCA will work throughout the coming months to monitor and give providers a voice in the implementation of these measures.
For a more extensive review of legislation affecting long term care from the past session, look for the THCA 84th Legislative Session Report later this summer. |
