The following information was obtained from the April 12 issue of the Texas Register.
Proposed Rules
HHSC proposed to amend §354.1281, Psychologists’ Services Benefits and Limitations. The change would add provisionally licensed psychologists as another type of provider who can perform psychological counseling and services under the direct supervision of a licensed psychologist.
HHSC also proposed to amend §355.8081, Payments for Laboratory and X-ray Services, Radiation Therapy, Physical Therapists’ Services, Physician Services, Podiatry Services, Chiropractic Services, Optometric Services, Ambulance Services, Dentists’ Services, Psychologists’ Services, Licensed Psychological Associates’ Services, Maternity Clinic Services, and Tuberculosis Clinic Services. The changes would allow reimbursement for services provided by PLPs at 70 percent of the Medicaid rate paid to licensed psychologists.
For more information, see the Texas Register.
The Texas Medical Board proposed new §185.28, Retired License, which allows Physician Assistants to apply for a Retired License status under which they’re not required to pay registration fees. See the Texas Register for details.
- On DADS’ Behalf
HHSC proposed to amend §19.101, Definitions; §19.502, Transfer and Discharge in Medicaid-certified Facilities; §19.602, Incidents of Abuse and Neglect Reportable to the Texas Department of Human Services and Law Enforcement Agencies by Facilities; §19.1920, Operating Policies and Procedures; §19.1921, General Requirements for a Nursing Facility; §19.2006, Reporting Incidents and Complaints; §19.2008, Investigations of Incidents and Complaints; and §19.2310, concerning when a nursing facility ceases to participate, in Chapter 19, Nursing Facility Requirements for Licensure and Medicaid Certification.
The changes would implement portions of SB 7, 82nd Legislature, First Called Session, 2011, and portions of the health reform law: delete Subchapter E and moving provisions related to reports of abuse, neglect, and exploitation, including definitions of abuse, neglect, and exploitation, to HHSC Chapter 260A; and require a notice to be posted in a facility regarding reporting suspected abuse, neglect, and exploitation. For more information, see the Texas Register.
Adopted Rules
HHSC adopted amendments to §354.1070, Definitions, and §354.1072, Authorized Inpatient Hospital Services and new Division 35, Reimbursement Adjustments for Potentially Preventable Events, to include new §354.1445, Potentially Preventable Readmissions and §354.1446, Potentially Preventable Complications. Among other things, the changes require HHSC to implement quality-based payments to hospitals based on the results of the PPR and PPC analysis. See the Texas Register for more information.
The Board of Nursing adopted an amendment to §211.7, Executive Director, which will reduce the volume of requests that must be heard by the Eligibility and Disciplinary Committee and reduce and/or eliminate the amount of time that individuals must wait to have their matters heard and decided by the Committee. The board also adopted amendments to §220.2, Issuance of a License by a Compact Party State, which makes the adoption of uniform rules by party states effectual. See the Texas Register for more information.
Rule Review
The Board of Nursing reviewed the following provisions and concluded that the reasons for originally adopting them continue to exist:
Title 22, Part 11 of the Texas Administrative Code:
Chapter 214, Vocational Nursing Education, §§214.1 – 214.13.
Chapter 215, Professional Nursing Education, §§215.1 – 215.13.
Chapter 222, Advanced Practice Registered Nurses with Prescriptive Authority, §§222.1 – 222.12.