Section 526.0301 - [Effective 4/1/2025] Strategic Plan For Rural Hospital Services; Report(a) The commission shall develop and implement a strategic plan to ensure that the citizens in this state residing in rural areas have access to hospital services.(b) The strategic plan must include: (1) a proposal for using at least one of the following methods to ensure access to hospital services in the rural areas of this state: (A) an enhanced cost reimbursement methodology for the payment of rural hospitals participating in the Medicaid managed care program in conjunction with a supplemental payment program for rural hospitals to cover costs incurred in providing services to recipients;(B) a hospital rate enhancement program applicable only to rural hospitals;(C) a reduction of punitive actions under Medicaid that require reimbursement for Medicaid payments made to a rural hospital provider, a reduction of the frequency of payment reductions under Medicaid made to rural hospitals, and an enhancement of payments made under merit-based programs or similar programs for rural hospitals;(D) a reduction of state regulatory-related costs related to the commission's review of rural hospitals; or(E) in accordance with rules the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services adopts, the establishment of a minimum fee schedule that applies to payments made to rural hospitals by Medicaid managed care organizations; and(2) target dates for achieving goals related to the proposal described by Subdivision (1).(c) Not later than November 1 of each even-numbered year, the commission shall submit a report regarding the commission's development and implementation of the strategic plan to:(3) the Legislative Budget Board. (Gov. Code, Secs. 531.201(a), (b), (d).)Tex. Gov't. Code § 526.0301
Added by Acts 2023, Texas Acts of the 88th Leg.- Regular Session, ch. 769,Sec. 1.01, eff. 4/1/2025.