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, … [Read more...] about TX Register Updates: Medical and Nursing Board Changes
TX Register Updates: Waiver Renewals, Medical Board Changes
The following information was obtained from the March 15 issue of the Texas Register. Public Notices HHSC intends to submit to CMS a request to renew the HCS waiver program and an amendment to the CBA waiver program. See the Texas Register for details. Proposed Rules HHSC proposed to amend §355.8066, Hospital-Specific Limit Methodology, which would provide more detail about the formulas used to calculate the hospital-specific limit, describe the use of a survey to collect data from … [Read more...] about TX Register Updates: Waiver Renewals, Medical Board Changes
Senate Bills: PPACA, Medicaid
The following recently introduced Senate bills could affect long term care providers: SJR 61: Proposing a constitutional amendment requiring the reduction of amounts paid by Texans to provide health care to the uninsured if Medicaid eligibility is expanded in accordance with the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; requiring hospital district tax rate reductions. SB 1045: Relating to an evaluation of the state supported living center system. SB 1058: Relating to the … [Read more...] about Senate Bills: PPACA, Medicaid
House Bills: PPACA, Medicaid
The following recently introduced House bills could affect long term care providers: HB 2276: Relating to notice of residential services available for persons with intellectual disabilities. HB 2288: Relating to the exemption from sales and use taxes of certain health care supplies. HB 2348: Relating to the powers and duties of the Texas Medical Board and the regulation of certain persons licensed by the board. HB 2358: Relating to the regulation of the practice of nursing. HB … [Read more...] about House Bills: PPACA, Medicaid
TX Register Updates: Texas Medical Board Changes
The following information was obtained from the March 8 issue of the Texas Register. Proposed Rules The Texas Medical Board proposed to amend several sections of the code: Licensure - §163.6, Examinations Accepted for Licensure, and §163.7, Ten Year Rule, to make the licensure examinations rule consistent with the statute regarding passage of licensure examinations within a seven-year time period and demonstration of competence in the ten-year period preceding application for … [Read more...] about TX Register Updates: Texas Medical Board Changes
House and Senate Bills: PPACA, Medicaid
The following recently introduced House and Senate bills could affect long term care providers: HCR 60: Urging the United States Congress to modify the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to allow cost-sharing payments and premium tax credits to be made available to the Texas political subdivision health care benefit pools on the same basis as those for health plans participating in the new federal exchange. HCR 64: Requesting the comptroller to conduct a study to determine the … [Read more...] about House and Senate Bills: PPACA, Medicaid
House and Senate Bills: Medical Board, STAR + PLUS
The following recently introduced House and Senate bills could affect long term care providers: HB 1406: Relating to the disclosure of the calculation of out-of-network payments by the issuers of preferred provider benefit plans and by health maintenance organizations. HB 1389: Relating to clinical initiatives to improve the quality of care and cost-effectiveness of the Medicaid program. HB 1389: Relating to clinical initiatives to improve the quality of care and cost-effectiveness of … [Read more...] about House and Senate Bills: Medical Board, STAR + PLUS
House and Senate Bills: STAR + PLUS, PPACA
The following recently introduced House and Senate bills could affect long term care providers: HB 1137: Relating to the use of maximum allowable cost lists under a Medicaid managed care pharmacy benefit plan. HB 1112: Relating to state assistance for certain county health care expenditures. HB 1088: Relating to consumer protection provisions applicable to Medicaid managed care contracts. HB 1066: Relating to a review process for managed care organizations participating in the STAR + … [Read more...] about House and Senate Bills: STAR + PLUS, PPACA
TX Register Updates: Medicaid Eligibility
The following information was obtained from the January 25 issue of the Texas Register. Proposed Rules HHSC proposed to amend §354.1634, Waiver Pool Allocation and Valuation, which removes the prohibition on a non-Medicaid provider receiving the first demonstration year payment if it is an anchor. See the Texas Register for more information. The Texas Medical Board proposed to amend §190.14, Disciplinary Sanction Guidelines, which provides that the board may suspend or revoke a … [Read more...] about TX Register Updates: Medicaid Eligibility
TX Register Updates: Types of Hearings, Rural Health
The following information was obtained from the January 18 issue of the Texas Register. Adopted Rules HHSC adopted an amendment to §357.17, Types of Hearings, which states that a client receiving Medicaid services through an MCO must exhaust the MCO's expedited appeals process before requesting an expedited fair hearing from HHSC unless the MCO has not sent a timely response to the request or the MCO has denied the request. HHSC adopted new §390.1, Definitions, and §390.2, Standards … [Read more...] about TX Register Updates: Types of Hearings, Rural Health
