Sec. 311.044. COMMUNITY BENEFITS PLANNING BY NONPROFIT HOSPITALS

(a) A nonprofit hospital shall develop:

(1) an organizational mission statement that identifies the hospital's commitment to serving the health care needs of the community; and

(2) a community benefits plan defined as an operational plan for serving the community's health care needs that sets out goals and objectives for providing community benefits that include charity care and government-sponsored indigent health care, as the terms community benefits, charity care, and government-sponsored indigent health care are defined by Sections 311.031 and 311.042, and that identifies the populations and communities served by the hospital.

(b) When developing the community benefits plan, the hospital shall consider the health care needs of the community as determined by community-wide needs assessments. For purposes of this subsection, "community" means the primary geographic area and patient categories for which the hospital provides health care services; provided, however, that the primary geographic area shall at least encompass the entire county in which the hospital is located.

(c) The hospital shall include at least the following elements in the community benefits plan:

(1) mechanisms to evaluate the plan's effectiveness, including but not limited to a method for soliciting the views of the communities served by the hospital;

(2) measurable objectives to be achieved within a specified time frame; and

(3) a budget for the plan.

(d) In determining the community-wide needs assessment required by Subsection (b), a nonprofit hospital shall consider consulting with and seeking input from representatives of the following entities or organizations located in the community as defined by Subsection (b):

(1) the local health department;

(2) the public health region under Chapter 121;

(3) the public health district;

(4) health-related organizations, including a health professional association or hospital association;

(5) health science centers;

(6) private business;

(7) consumers;

(8) local governments; and

(9) insurance companies and managed care organizations with an active market presence in the community.

(e) Representatives of a nonprofit hospital shall consider meeting with representatives of the entities and organizations listed in Subsection (d) to assess the health care needs of the community and population served by the nonprofit hospital.

Added by Acts 1993, 73rd Leg., ch. 360, Sec. 4, eff. Sept. 1, 1993. Amended by Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 1101, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1997.