Healthcare Bill Tracking

85th Legislative Session

The bills below could impact healthcare for people with disabilities in Texas.

Healthcare Bills — Passed

Healthcare bills passed during the 85th Texas Legislature
BILLAUTHORDESCRIPTION, REMARKS, LAST ACTION
HB 490Rodney AndersonRelating to health benefit plan coverage of hearing aids and cochlear implants for certain individuals.
no datano dataRemarks: Requires health benefit plans to provide coverage for the cost of a medically necessary hearing aid or cochlear implant and related services and supplies for a covered adult. Limited to one hearing aid in each ear every three years and one cochlear implant in each ear.
no datano dataLast Action: 09-01-17 G Earliest effective date
HB 1543Cindy BurkettRelating to access to records that pertain to the testing for, and fitting and dispensing of, hearing instruments.
no datano dataRemarks: Allows a person licensed to fit and dispense hearing instruments to obtain a copy of the relevant records for a client by submitting a request in writing. The practice that is releasing the records may charge a reasonable fee and may summarize the records unless requested to do otherwise.
no datano dataLast Action: 09-01-17 G Earliest effective date
HB 1697Four PriceRelating to the establishment of a pediatric health electronic access in rural Texas grant program.
no datano dataRemarks: Requires the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to establish a pediatric tele-connectivity resource program for rural Texas that would award grants to certain rural health care facilities to help connect them with pediatric specialists. Allows the health facilities to use the grant money to purchase medical equipment, pay treatment fees, and other necessary miscellaneous activities.
no datano dataLast Action: 09-01-17 G Earliest effective date
HB 1917Richard RaymondRelating to contract requirements for prescription drug benefits provided by Medicaid managed care organizations
no datano dataRemarks: Delays carve in of the preferred drug list into managed care until August 31, 2030, rather than August 31, 2018.
no datano dataLast Action: 06-15-17 G Earliest effective date
HB 3292Stephanie KlickRelating to the temporary continuation of medical assistance for certain individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
no datano dataRemarks: Requires HHSC to continue Medicaid eligibility to an individual with IDD after the expiration of their eligibility period if: 1) they receive Medicaid waiver services; 2) they receive services through STAR+PLUS Medicaid managed care; or 3) they reside in an intermediate care facility (ICF). This medical assistance will continue until either the end of a 90-day period, or the individual's medical assistance eligibility is restored if earlier.
no datano dataLast Action: 09-01-17 G Earliest effective date
SB 589Eddie LucioRelating to the establishment of the Texas Board of Behavior Analyst Examiners and the requirement to obtain a license to practice as a behavior analyst or assistant.
no datano dataRemarks: Establishes licensure for behavior analysts and assistant behavior analysts under the new Texas Board of Behavior Analyst Examiners, under the jurisdiction of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Adopts the standards of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board or other nationally certified entity and added state-specific provisions related to administrative and civil penalties.
no datano dataLast Action: 09-01-17 G Earliest effective date
SB 894Dawn BuckinghamRelating to the Health and Human Services Commission's strategy for managing audit resources, including procedures for auditing and collecting payments from Medicaid managed care organizations.
no datano dataRemarks: Requires HHSC to implement a uniform auditing policy for choosing which managed care organizations to audit and to address issues identified by the Texas State Auditor.
no datano dataLast Action: 09-01-17 G Earliest effective date

Healthcare Bills — Not Passed

Healthcare bills not passed during the 85th Texas Legislature
BILLAUTHORDESCRIPTION, REMARKS, LAST ACTION
HB 661Tan ParkerRelating to access to certain investigational drugs, biological products, and devices that are in clinical trials by patients with severe chronic diseases.
no datano dataRemarks: Would have allowed patients with qualifying severe chronic diseases to access an investigational drug, biological product, or device if all other treatment options approved by the Food and Drug Administration are determined unlikely to provide relief.
no datano dataLast Action: 05-17-17 S Committee action pending Senate Health and Human Services
HB 2107Eddie Lucio IIIRelating to authorizing the possession, use, cultivation, distribution, transportation, and delivery of medical cannabis for medical use by qualifying patients.
no datano dataRemarks: Would have allowed possession of "reasonable amounts" of cannabis for patients authorized for medical use and listed on a compassionate-use registry. Would have provided protection from civil penalty or disciplinary action from a licensing board, from denial of parental rights, from asset seizure, and from prosecution for providing paraphernalia. Would have also amended the Texas Compassionate-Use Act to allow for rules and procedures to regulate medical cannabis in the state.
no datano dataLast Action: 05-08-17 H Reported from committee as substituted House Public Health
HB 2905Sergio MunozRelating to reimbursement rates for certain therapy services under Medicaid and accountability to Medicaid recipients.
no datano dataRemarks: Would have required reimbursement rates for occupational, physical, and speech therapy services to be at least equal to what they were on August 31, 2015.
no datano dataLast Action: 03-22-17 H Introduced and referred to committee on House Human Services
HJR 111Carol AlvaradoProposing a constitutional amendment to authorize and regulate the possession, cultivation, and sale of cannabis for medical use.
no datano dataRemarks: Would have required a ballot measure for the voters to decide whether to direct the legislature to authorize and regulate the possession, cultivation, and sale of cannabis for medical use.
no datano dataLast Action: 03-22-17 H Introduced and referred to committee on House Public Health
SB 1414Charles SchwertnerRelating to a recipient's disenrollment from a Medicaid managed care plan.
no datano dataRemarks: Would have locked a Medicaid recipient into a managed care plan 90 days after enrollment. Would have allowed people to change plans for cause, when people move to a new service delivery area, and once every 12 months.
no datano dataLast Action: 05-19-17 H Vote failed in committee on House Public Health
SB 1554Lois KolkhorstRelating to establishing a Medicaid Block Grant Waiver Legislative Oversight Committee.
no datano dataRemarks: Would have established a Medicaid Block Grant Waiver Legislative Oversight Committee to design, research, and develop a Medicaid block grant waiver, if the option became available. Would have defined a Medicaid block grant funding system as a set total amount of federal funds regardless of the number of people enrolled.
no datano dataLast Action: 05-17-17 H Reported favorably from committee on House Appropriations
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