88R24212 SRA-F
 
  By: Allison, Plesa, Jones of Dallas, Bucy H.B. No. 1578
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to a health literacy plan developed by the statewide
  health coordinating council and the inclusion of health literacy in
  the state health plan.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 104.002, Health and Safety Code, is
  amended by adding Subdivision (6) to read as follows:
               (6)  "Health literacy" means the degree to which an
  individual has the capacity to find, understand, and use health
  information and services to inform health-related decisions and
  actions.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 104, Health and Safety
  Code, is amended by adding Section 104.0156 to read as follows:
         Sec. 104.0156.  HEALTH LITERACY PLAN. (a)  The statewide
  health coordinating council shall develop a long-range plan for
  improving health literacy in this state. The council shall update
  the plan at least once every two years.
         (b)  In developing the long-range plan, the statewide health
  coordinating council shall study the economic impact of low health
  literacy on state health programs and health insurance coverage for
  state residents.  The council shall:
               (1)  identify primary risk factors contributing to low
  health literacy;
               (2)  examine methods for health care practitioners,
  health care facilities, and other persons to address the health
  literacy of patients and other health care consumers;
               (3)  examine the effectiveness of using quality
  measures in state health programs to improve health literacy;
               (4)  identify strategies for expanding the use of plain
  language instructions for patients; and
               (5)  examine the impact of improved health literacy on
  enhancing patient safety, reducing preventable events, and
  increasing medication adherence to attain greater
  cost-effectiveness and better patient outcomes in the provision of
  health care.
         (c)  Not later than November 1 of each even-numbered year,
  the statewide health coordinating council shall submit the
  long-range plan developed or updated under this section to the
  governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of
  representatives, and each member of the legislature.
         SECTION 3.  Sections 104.022(e) and (f), Health and Safety
  Code, are amended to read as follows:
         (e)  The state health plan shall be developed and used in
  accordance with applicable state and federal law. The plan must
  identify:
               (1)  major statewide health concerns, including the
  prevalence of low health literacy among health care consumers;
               (2)  the availability and use of current health
  resources of the state, including resources associated with
  information technology and state-supported institutions of higher
  education; and
               (3)  future health service, information technology,
  and facility needs of the state.
         (f)  The state health plan must:
               (1)  propose strategies for the correction of major
  deficiencies in the service delivery system;
               (2)  propose strategies for improving health literacy
  to attain greater cost-effectiveness and better patient outcomes in
  the provision of health care;
               (3) [(2)]  propose strategies for incorporating
  information technology in the service delivery system;
               (4) [(3)]  propose strategies for involving
  state-supported institutions of higher education in providing
  health services and for coordinating those efforts with health and
  human services agencies in order to close gaps in services; and
               (5) [(4)]  provide direction for the state's
  legislative and executive decision-making processes to implement
  the strategies proposed by the plan.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.