The Employees Retirement System of Texas must create and run a pilot program for on-site health services for state employees, and its board must adopt implementation rules.
Sec. 671.001. NURSE PRACTITIONER OR PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT IN STATE OFFICE COMPLEXES; PILOT PROGRAM. (a) To reduce the cost of health care and increase the wellness and productivity of state employees, the Employees Retirement System of Texas shall develop and implement a pilot program to make available a licensed advanced practice nurse or a licensed physician assistant to provide authorized on-site health services at a selected location to state employees who choose to make use of the services. (b) The pilot program must provide for the following: (1) a licensed advanced practice registered nurse as defined by Section 301.152, Occupations Code, or a licensed physician assistant as described by Chapter 204, Occupations Code, who is employed by the state or whose services are acquired by contract, who will be located at a state office complex; (2) a licensed physician, who is employed by a state governmental entity for purposes other than the pilot program or whose services are acquired by contract, who will delegate to and supervise the advanced practice registered nurse or physician assistant under a prescriptive authority agreement under Chapter 157, Occupations Code; (3) appropriate office space and equipment for the advanced practice registered nurse or physician assistant to provide basic medical care to employees at the state office complex where the nurse or physician assistant is located; and (4) professional liability insurance covering services provided by the advanced practice registered nurse or the physician assistant. (c) The board of trustees of the Employees Retirement System of Texas shall adopt rules necessary for implementation of this section and shall seek the assistance of state agencies as necessary for the implementation of this chapter. (d) The Employees Retirement System of Texas shall determine whether it is more efficient to pay directly for some or all of the expenses associated with implementing this chapter or to reimburse expenses through an interagency agreement as the expenses are incurred by an agency participating in the program. (e) The Employees Retirement System of Texas may order the pilot program continued or expanded to cover more state office complexes on finding: (1) the pilot program has proven beneficial in meeting the health care needs of state employees; and (2) continuation or expansion of the pilot program is economically beneficial. Added by Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1217 (H.B. 952), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2005. Amended by: Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 433 (S.B. 1761), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2007. Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 418 (S.B. 406), Sec. 21, eff. November 1, 2013.