HB2587 - Relating to an annual report on the financial impact on hospitals for providing certain uncompensated care.

  89R25805 SCF-D     By: Olcott, et al. H.B. No. 2587     Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2587:     By:  VanDeaver C.S.H.B. No. 2587       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to an annual report on the financial impact on hospitals   for providing certain uncompensated care.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subchapter G, Chapter 525, Government Code, is   amended by adding Section 525.0304 to read as follows:           Sec.   525.0304.     ANNUAL REPORT ON FINANCIAL IMPACT ON   HOSPITALS PROVIDING UNCOMPENSATED CARE TO PERSONS NOT LAWFULLY   PRESENT.   (a)   In this section:                 (1)     "Financial impact" means the costs incurred by a   hospital for providing health care services to a patient for which   the hospital does not receive payment in full for those services.                 (2)     "Hospital" means an establishment licensed under   Chapter 241, Health and Safety Code, that:                       (A)  provides acute care services; and                       (B)     is enrolled as a provider under Medicaid or   the child health plan program under Chapter 62, Health and Safety   Code.                 (3)     "Person not lawfully present" means a person who   is not:                       (A)     a citizen or national of the United States;   or                       (B)     an alien who is lawfully admitted for   permanent residence in the United States under the federal   Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. Section 1101 et seq.) or   authorized to be employed by that Act or the United States attorney   general.           (b)     Not later than November 1 of each year, the commission   shall prepare and submit to the governor and the legislature a   written report for the preceding state fiscal year on the financial   impact on hospitals for providing health care services to patients   who were persons not lawfully present at the time health care   services were provided to those patients.           (c)     For purposes of preparing the report required by   Subsection (b), the executive commissioner by rule shall require   each hospital in this state to:                 (1)  include on the hospital's patient intake form:                       (A)     a question regarding the patient's   citizenship or immigration status to determine if the patient is a   person not lawfully present; and                       (B)     a statement that the patient's response to   that question will not affect any health care service provided to   the patient, as required by federal law; and                 (2)     quarterly submit to the commission in the manner   and format prescribed by the commission a written report on:                       (A)     the number of emergency room visits and   inpatient discharges the hospital provided or completed during the   preceding quarter for patients who were persons not lawfully   present at the time the hospital provided health care services to   the patients; and                       (B)     the financial impact on the hospital during   the preceding quarter for providing health care services to the   patients who were persons not lawfully present at the time the   hospital provided health care services to the patients.           (d)     As required by federal law, a patient's response to the   question described by Subsection (c)(1)(A) may not affect the   health care services provided to the patient.           (e)     The commission shall ensure the reports required under   this section do not include any personal identifying information.          SECTION 2.  (a)  As soon as practicable after the effective   date of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human   Services Commission shall adopt the rules required by Section   525.0304, Government Code, as added by this Act.          (b)  Notwithstanding Section 525.0304, Government Code, as   added by this Act, the Health and Human Services Commission is not   required to submit the initial report required by that section   until December 1, 2026.          SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.