The following information was obtained from the July 27 issue of the Texas Register.
Public Hearings and Notice
The Council on Children and Families will hold a public hearing on Thursday, August 9, 2012, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to hear testimony about its ongoing work. The hearing will be held in the Public Hearing Room of the Brown-Heatly Building, 4900 N. Lamar Boulevard in Austin.
HHSC will hold a public hearing on August 15, 2012, at 1 p.m. to receive public comment on the proposed rate of the Truman W. Smith Children’s Care Center. The public hearing will be held in the Permian Basin Conference Room of the Braker Center, Building H, at 11209 Metric Boulevard in Austin.
HHSC will submit to CMS a request to amend the HCS waiver program to add a new target group for children with intellectual disabilities in the DFPS conservatorship leaving a general residential option.
See the Texas Register for more information about the hearings and notice.
Proposed Rules
HHSC proposed to amend §351.3, Purpose, Task, and Duration of Advisory Committees, which would clarify the names of two existing committees, update their expiration date, update the name of an existing committee, delete an expired committee, and add three new HHSC advisory committees:
- Quality Based Payment Advisory Committee
- Physician Payment for Quality Committee
- Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Council
HHSC proposed to amend §355.8581, Reimbursement Methodology for Family Planning Services; and repeal §355.8582, Medical Services; §355.8583, Elective Sterilization; and §355.8584, Maximum Rates and Specific Codes. The proposed changes would eliminate policy language and outdated cross references and add family planning services reimbursement language. See the Texas Register for details.
The Texas Medical Board proposes changes to:
Licensure – §163.2, Full Texas Medical License, and §163.5, Licensure Documentation, which would establish employment requirements for applicants who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents and documentation the Board will accept to establish U.S. or permanent residency.
Business Organizations – §177.17, Exceptions to Corporate Practice of Medicine Doctrine, to provide an exception to doctrine for rural health clinics that meet the requirements of 42 CFR 491.8.
Procedural Rules – §187.18, Informal Show Compliance Proceeding and Settlement Conference Based on Personal Appearance, and §187.83, Proceedings for Cease and Desist Orders, to delete language relating to deadline requirements for rebuttal material submission in conflict with other provisions and requiring a panel member to sign cease and desist order.
Compliance Program – §§189.1 – 189.3, 189.5 – 189.9 and 189.11, Compliance Program, which would add remedial plan language.
Office-Based Anesthesia Services – §192.1, Definitions, and §192.2, Provision of Anesthesia Services in Outpatient Settings, which would add new and amended definitions and re-number existing definitions.
Standing Delegation Orders – new §193.13, Nonsurgical Medical Cosmetic Procedures, to establish requirements for physicians who delegate the performance of nonsurgical medical procedures to other personnel.
Adopted Rules
- On DADS’ behalf
HHSC adopted the repeal of §90.16, Change of Ownership; new §90.16, Change of Ownership; and an amendment to §90.61, Introduction, Application, and General Requirements for ICF/ID. The changes are adopted to conform rules to CMS guidance. For details, see the Texas Register.
Review of Agency Rules
The Texas Medical Board proposed to review Chapter 189, Compliance Program, §§189.1 – 189.14, pursuant to the Texas Government Code, §2001.039.
