Bill Text: TX SB1963 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley's authority to contract with federal agencies to provide healthcare to veterans.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-04-15 - Left pending in committee [SB1963 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-SB1963-Introduced.html
| By: Hinojosa | S.B. No. 1963 | |
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| relating to The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley's authority | ||
| to contract with federal agencies to provide healthcare to | ||
| veterans. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter N, Chapter 74, Education Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 741.761 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 74.761. TREATMENT OF CERTAIN PATIENTS. (a) The | ||
| medical school may enter into one or more contracts with the U.S. | ||
| Department of Veterans Affairs ("VA") to provide medical and mental | ||
| health treatment to residents of the county or service area who are | ||
| otherwise eligible for the VA's health care assistance. | ||
| (b) The medical school is encouraged to contribute money, | ||
| property, and other resources to establish, maintain, and operate a | ||
| veteran's hospital or provide medical and mental health care to | ||
| area veterans in accordance with Section 73, Article XVI, Texas | ||
| Constitution. | ||
| (c) In complying with this section, the medical school may | ||
| prioritize medical and mental health services that eliminate access | ||
| to care issues and reduce wait times by providing an increased level | ||
| of inpatient and outpatient care for veterans: | ||
| (1)who would be forced to travel more than 200 miles for | ||
| healthcare; or | ||
| (2)who cannot access specialty or primary care in the | ||
| service area. | ||
| (d) To the extent possible, the medical school must spread | ||
| any available medical and mental health care for veterans | ||
| throughout the service region. | ||
| SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
| a vote of two-thirds of all members elected to each house, as | ||
| provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
| Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
| Act takes effect September 1, 2015. | ||
