Texas Veterans’ Spinal and Orthopedic Rural Access Act

A BILL relating to the creation of a grant program to increase access to specialized spinal and orthopedic care for veterans in rural areas and the establishment of the Texas Veterans Telehealth Network. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act shall be known and may be cited as the "Texas Veterans’ Spinal and Orthopedic Rural Access Act". SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS. The Legislature finds that: (1) Texas is home to the second-largest veteran population in the United States, a significant portion of whom reside in rural counties designated as medically underserved. (2) Veterans with service-connected spinal and orthopedic injuries often face excessive travel times to reach federal VA facilities in major metropolitan hubs like San Antonio, Houston, and Dallas. (3) The State of Texas has an obligation to supplement federal healthcare options to ensure that those who served can access specialized care within their own communities. SECTION 3. AMENDMENT. Subtitle A, Title 2, Health and Safety Code, is amended by adding Chapter 1002 to read as follows: CHAPTER 1002. RURAL VETERANS SPECIALIZED CARE INITIATIVE Sec. 1002.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: (1) "Commission" means the Texas Veterans Commission. (2) "Department" means the Department of State Health Services. (3) "Rural Hospital" means a licensed hospital located in a county with a population of less than 60,000. Sec. 1002.002. SPECIALIST ROTATION GRANT PROGRAM. (a) The Commission, in coordination with the Department, shall establish a grant program to incentivize orthopedic surgeons and spinal specialists to provide rotational clinics in Rural Hospitals. (b) Grants may be awarded to: (1) Private practice specialists who contract to provide services in a Rural Hospital for a minimum of four days per month; or (2) Rural Hospitals to offset the costs of acquiring portable diagnostic imaging equipment specifically for spinal and orthopedic assessment. (c) To be eligible for a grant, a provider must accept TRICARE and Veterans Affairs Community Care Network (CCN) insurance plans. Sec. 1002.003. TEXAS VETERANS TELEHEALTH NETWORK. (a) The Commission shall establish the "Texas Veterans Telehealth Network" (TVTN) to utilize the state’s expanding broadband infrastructure for the benefit of veteran rehabilitation. Sec. 1002.004. SPINAL INJURY NAVIGATORS. The Commission shall employ a dedicated team of "Spinal Injury Navigators" whose sole responsibility is to assist Texas veterans with spinal cord injuries in navigating the pre-authorization process for non-VA community care, ensuring that state funding is used only when federal options are exhausted or delayed beyond 30 days. SECTION 4. APPROPRIATION. The amount of $25,000,000 is appropriated from the General Revenue Fund to the Texas Veterans Commission for the state fiscal biennium ending August 31, 2027, for the purpose of implementing the provisions of this Act. SECTION 5. REPORTING. Not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year, the Texas Veterans Commission shall submit a report to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives detailing the number of veterans served by the grant program and the reduction in average travel mileage for veterans seeking orthopedic care. SECTION 6. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September 1, 2026.