Highlights 77th Texas Legislature - Senate

HEALTH AND HUMAN
SERVICES
Care
ERVICES/Long-Term
77 th Texas Legislature
Nursing Facility Reimbursement Methodology and Resource Needs - H.B. 1001
by Representative Naishtat, et al.
Senate Sponsor: Senator Zaffirini
The House Human Services Committee reports that both industry representatives and nursing home
resident advocacy groups point to the methodology for calculating Medicaid reimbursement rates as an
underlying cause for much of the nursing home industry's problems. The current methodology may not
accurately reflect all justifiably reimbursable costs of doing business. In addition, the current Texas Index
for Level of Effort (TILE) reimbursement system does not always reflect the true resource needs of
residents.
Requires the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) and the Department of Human Services
(DHS) to review the base reimbursement methodology for nursing home care.
Requires HHSC, subject to the availability of funds and in conjunction with DHS, to evaluate the
methodology used for determining Medicaid reimbursement rates for nursing facilities.
Requires HHSC to evaluate the TILE system used to quantify the intensity of the care needs of individuals
in nursing facilities and to assign daily reimbursement rates for that care to determine whether the system
accurately accounts for the care needs of patients with dementia, including patients with Alzheimer's
disease.
Requires HHSC, in conducting the evaluation, to seek the input of relevant professionals and other
individuals or organizations with expertise in caring for people with dementia, including Alzheimer's
disease.
Criminal Background Checks on Certain Employees of Long-Term Care Institutions -
H.B. 1418
by Representatives Jesse Jones and John Davis
Senate Sponsor: Senator Carona
State law provides that long-term care facilities and home health agencies must obtain a state criminal
history record for certain new employees who provide direct care to residents or consumers. Facilities are
prohibited from employing persons who have been convicted of certain offenses, such as homicide, sexual
assault, or injury to a child or elderly or disabled person.
Authorizes a regulatory or private agency that forwards criminal history record information to certain
facilities that serve the elderly or disabled to use the Internet criminal history search services provided by
the DPS to expedite requests for such information.
Establishes criteria for prohibiting a person convicted of felony theft from being employed in a facility.
Requires convalescent and nursing homes and related institutions to prepare a written statement
describing the institution's policy for conducting criminal history record checks of employees and applicants
for employment.
Senate Research Center 138