Last month I wrote about our 2022- 2023 State Budget. The issue I would like to highlight in this segment includes the accomplishments made to our healthcare system in Texas.

Last year was one of the most challenging years for our state’s healthcare system due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The legislature did not waste any time during the 87th Legislative Session ensuring our state is better prepared for any future health pandemics and successfully passed bills to strengthen and maintain current telemedicine protocols, improve insurance practices, and provide liability protections for healthcare providers among other things. Some of these measures include:

Expanding Telehealth and Broadband Internet — House Bill 4 establishes policies and procedures to ensure certain healthcare services could be provided through telehealth, telemedicine, telecommunications, or other information technologies. House Bill 5 establishes a state broadband development office to award financial incentives for helping expand access to broadband. This will ensure patients in rural areas of the state, where there is a lack of broadband infrastructure, will also be able to experience the benefits of telemedicine;

Critical Care Coverage — House Bill 133 extends certain coverage for women who receive maternal care until six months postpartum;

Telemedicine

Eligibility — Senate Bill 40 allows for licensed health care professionals to provide services via telemedicine;

Prohibiting

Freestanding Emergency Price Gouging — Senate Bill 2038 limits freestanding emergency rooms from charging unconscionable prices during a declared disaster;

Prescription Drug Savings Program — House Bill 18 increases access to affordable prescription drugs, ensuring certain uninsured individuals have access to life-saving medications, leading to better health outcomes;

Texas Mutual Health Coverage — House Bill 3752 creates the Texas Mutual Health Coverage Plan available to individuals and small businesses who lack traditional health insurance;

Hospital Transparency Costs — Senate Bill 1137 requires a hospital to disclose to the public certain health care cost information, including a list of standard charges and shoppable services;

Ending Certain

Medical Taxes — House Bill 1445 adjusts state insurance law to prevent a tax on outsourced medical billing services;

Texas Farm Bureau

Health Benefit — House Bill 3924 authorizes the Texas Farm Bureau to offer a health benefit plan to its members;

Insulin Cost Savings — Senate Bill 827 caps a patient’s share of cost for prescription insulin at $25 per prescription for a 30-day supply; Liability Protections

Liability Protections — Senate Bill 6 increases liability protections for physicians during a pandemic;

Essential Caregiver — Senate Bill 25 empowers residents of long-term care facilities with the right to designate an essential caregiver with whom a facility could not prohibit in-person visitations;

Vaccine Administration — House Bill 797 allows for administration of vaccines in the home for the medically vulnerable and elderly.

Thank you for taking time to learn about ways we improved our state’s healthcare and a few of the ways we will be better prepared for future health pandemics.

“Last year was one of the most challenging years for our state’s healthcare system due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”