The following information was obtained from the August 24 issue of Texas Register.
Public Notices and Hearing
HHSC intends to submit an amendment to the Texas State Plan for Medical Assistance, which would delete obsolete and outdated information in the reimbursement methodology for case management for blind and visually impaired children.
HHSC intends to submit an amendment to comply with Chapter 536 of Texas Government Code, which requires the agency to convert hospital reimbursement systems under the child health plan and Medicaid programs to a diagnosis-related groups methodology to allow HHSC to classify specific patient populations and account for severity of patient illness and mortality risk more accurately.
HHSC intends to submit to CMS a request to renew the DBMD waiver program, which would incorporate changes to the waiver interest list process for individuals denied waiver enrollment based on diagnosis or other functional eligibility requirements.
Finally, HHSC will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, September 18, 2012, at 4:30 p.m., to receive comments on a proposed new administrative rule at TAC, Title 1, §355.8203, which would govern waiver payments to urban public hospitals. The hearing will be held in the John H. Winters Building, Public Hearing Room, 125-E, located at 701 W. 51st Street, Austin.
For more information about each entry, see the Texas Register.
Proposed Rules
HHSC proposed new Subchapter D, Texas Healthcare Transformation and Quality Improvement Program, in Chapter 354, Medicaid Health Services, which would describe the composition and organization of regional healthcare partnerships; and
the criteria, responsibilities, and limitations of an RHP’s anchor; the role of the RHP participants, including IGT entities, Medicaid providers, and other stakeholders; the required elements of an RHP plan; HHSC’s notification procedure after reviewing an RHP plan; the procedure an anchor must follow in response to a request from HHSC to provide additional information or to modify the plan; DSRIP categories and requirements on RHPs and individual performers; and the allocation of the DSRIP pool and valuation of DSRIP projects.
HHSC proposed new §355.8203, Waiver Payments to Urban Public Hospitals, to continue the disproportionate share hospital. See the Texas Register for details.
The Board of Nursing proposed to amend Chapter 214, §§214.1 – 214.13, Vocational Nursing Education, which, among other things, would clarify existing requirements within the chapter and strengthen the qualifications/requirements for authors of new nursing education program proposals and proposed nursing education program directors.
The board also proposed to amend Chapter 215, §§215.1 – 215.13, Professional Nursing Education, which, among other things, would clarify existing requirements and strengthen the qualifications/requirements for authors of new professional nursing education program proposals and proposed professional nursing education program deans/directors.
For more information, see the Texas Register.
Adopted Rules
HHSC adopted amendments to §355.8052, Inpatient Hospital Reimbursement, to update the Medicaid inpatient hospital reimbursement methodology. See the Texas Register for details.
