The Healthcare Expanded and Accessed Locally for Texans (HEAL Texans) Act seeks to enhance the licensing and regulation of advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) in Texas by introducing new definitions and clarifications regarding their roles, including nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, nurse anesthetists, and clinical nurse specialists. The bill establishes a system for approving APRNs to prescribe or order drugs and devices, contingent upon completing specialized education and training. It allows certain APRNs to practice independently if they meet specific criteria, such as years of clinical practice and successful completion of accredited nursing programs. Additionally, the legislation mandates a minimum of 48 hours of continuing education every two years, focusing on pharmacology, for APRNs authorized to practice independently.

The bill also expands the prescribing authority of APRNs, allowing them to prescribe and order drugs, including controlled substances, under specific conditions. It establishes a Joint Independent Practice Committee to oversee credentialing for APRNs seeking full independent practice authority and modifies the maximum number of prescriptive authority agreements a physician can enter into with APRNs and physician assistants, increasing the limit from seven to nine. Furthermore, the bill clarifies that APRNs and physician assistants can be designated as primary care providers for medical assistance recipients and mandates that health maintenance organizations recognize them as providers in their networks. Overall, the HEAL Texans Act aims to improve healthcare access and quality by empowering APRNs to operate more autonomously and effectively within their professional scope.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Occupations Code 301.002, Occupations Code 301.005, Occupations Code 301.152, Occupations Code 301.303, Education Code 38.151, Education Code 38.21l, Education Code 38.225, Education Code 61.601, Estates Code 502.002, Government Code 301.002, Health and Safety Code 161.0052, Health and Safety Code 401.504, Health and Safety Code 481.002, Health and Safety Code 481.074, Health and Safety Code 481.076, Health and Safety Code 481.0767, Health and Safety Code 483.001, Health and Safety Code 483.022, Health and Safety Code 301.358, Health and Safety Code 773.0145, Human Resources Code 32.024, Human Resources Code 32.03141, Human Resources Code 42.067, Insurance Code 843.312, Insurance Code 1452.051, Labor Code 408.025, Occupations Code 157.051, Occupations Code 203.002, Occupations Code 551.003, Occupations Code 157.0511, Occupations Code 563.053, Occupations Code 605.002, Occupations Code 605.2515, Occupations Code 1701.703 (Labor Code 408, Occupations Code 301, Health and Safety Code 773, Occupations Code 1701, Education Code 61, Insurance Code 1452, Education Code 38, Human Resources Code 42, Health and Safety Code 483, Occupations Code 203, Health and Safety Code 161, Occupations Code 157, Government Code 301, Health and Safety Code 301, Occupations Code 563, Insurance Code 843, Occupations Code 551, Health and Safety Code 401, Estates Code 502, Health and Safety Code 481, Occupations Code 605, Human Resources Code 32)