Bill > HB1295

This bill amends the Texas Health and Safety Code to address health literacy by first defining "health literacy" as an individual's ability to find, understand, and use health information to make informed health-related decisions. The bill requires the statewide health coordinating council to develop a comprehensive long-range plan for improving health literacy in the state, which must be updated every two years. The plan must include studying the economic impact of low health literacy, identifying risk factors, examining methods for healthcare providers to address health literacy, evaluating ways to improve patient understanding, and assessing how enhanced health literacy can improve patient safety and reduce healthcare costs. The council must submit this plan to state leadership every two years by November 1st. Additionally, the bill modifies the state health plan to explicitly include low health literacy as a major statewide health concern and requires the plan to propose strategies for improving health literacy to achieve better patient outcomes and cost-effectiveness. The bill is set to take effect on September 1, 2025, giving state agencies time to prepare for these new requirements.

Health and Social Services

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB1295