The following information was obtained from the January 6 issue of the Texas Register:
Public Hearing
HHSC will hold a public hearing on January 18, 2012, at 9 a.m. to receive comment on proposed payment rates for the Medicaid Biennial Calendar Fee Review – Therapy Services provided by CORF/ORF. The hearing will be held in the Brown Heatly Building Public Hearing Room at 4900 North Lamar Boulevard, Austin. For more information, see the Texas Register.
Proposed Rules
The Texas Medical Board proposed to amend §§177.5, 177.16 and 177.17, Business Organizations. Among other things, the changes require non-profit health organizations to adopt and enforce policies to ensure that their physicians exercise independent medical judgment when providing care to patients. See the Texas Register for details.
Adopted Rules
The Texas Board of Nursing adopted amendments to §217.19, Incident-Based Nursing Peer Review and Whistleblower Protections; and §217.20, Safe Harbor Peer Review for Nurses and Whistleblower Protections. The new rules enhance protections for nurses who report substandard and dangerous nursing practices to the Board or refuse to accept assignments that may endanger patients. See the Texas Register for more information.