- Prior Authorization Requirements For Providers Prescribing Buprenorphine-Containing Products
State law or statute prohibits or limits the use of prior authorization for buprenorphine containing products by either the state Medicaid plan or private insurance companies.
Medicaid is prohibited from requiring prior authorization for medication-assisted opioid or substance use disorder treatment, including: methadone, buprenorphine, oral buprenorphine/naloxone or naltrexone, “except as needed to minimize the opportunity for fraud, waste, or abuse.” Provision expires on Aug. 31, 2023. TX. HUM. RES. § 32.03115
- Learn more about Prior Authorization Requirements For Providers Prescribing Buprenorphine-Containing Products
- Education Required for Addiction Counselor Credentialing
Texas credentials one type of addiction counselor. A Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor requires, at minimum, an associate degree or higher and 4,000 hours of supervised experience. An individual may be exempt from some supervised hours if they hold a qualifying graduate degree. Tex. Occupations Code Ann. §504.001 and Texas Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor Program
- Learn more about Education Required for Addiction Counselor Credentialing
- Licensed Professional Counselor Ability to Diagnose
Licensed professional counselors (LPCs) prevent, assess, evaluate and treat mental, emotional or behavioral disorders and associated distresses that interfere with mental health. Counselors conduct assessments and evaluations to establish treatment goals and objectives and plan, implement, and evaluate treatment plans. Diagnostic ability not outlined in statute. Texas Occupations Code §503.003
- Learn more about Licensed Professional Counselor Ability to Diagnose
- Peer Support Specialist Certification or Credentialing Authority
Certification requirements for peer support specialists were recently proposed by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. The proposed certification standards include minimum qualifications, training, continuing education, and employment supervision requirements.
- Learn more about Peer Support Specialist Certification or Credentialing Authority
- Certified Nurse Midwife Practice Authority
Physician relationship required for practice and prescriptive authority.
Written agreement is required between the NM and the supervising physician. The protocols should be jointly developed and reviewed annually. Tex. Admin. Code §22-11-221.13
An advanced practice registered nurse recognized by the board as a nurse midwife may provide one or more unit doses of a controlled substance during intra-partum or immediate post-partum care subject if delegated by a physician, must meet certain documentation and monitoring requirements. Tex. Admin. Code §22-11-221.14
- Learn more about Certified Nurse Midwife Practice Authority
- Nurse Practitioner Practice Authority
Physician relationship required for practice and prescriptive authority.
Written agreement is required between the NP and the supervising physician. The protocols should be jointly developed and reviewed annually. Tex. Admin. Code §22-11-221.13
The agreement must outline which drugs and devices may be prescribed among other items. Tex. Admin. Code §22-11-222.5
- Learn more about Nurse Practitioner Practice Authority
- Nurse Practitioner Authority to Sign POLST Forms
Only physicians are authorized to sign medical orders for scope of treatment forms. Tex. Health and Safety Code Ann. §166
- Learn more about Nurse Practitioner Authority to Sign POLST Forms
- Nurse Practitioner as a Primary Care Provider
NPs are recognized in state policy as primary care providers. A managed care organization or other entity must ensure that advanced practice registered nurses and physician assistants are available as primary care providers in a provider network. Tex. Health & Safety Code §62.1551
- Learn more about Nurse Practitioner as a Primary Care Provider
- Authority to perform ophthalmic procedures
Optometrists may only perform procedures related to foreign body removal and the examination, evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of the human eye. Tex. Occupations Code Ann. §351.002
- Learn more about Authority to perform ophthalmic procedures
- Injectable Authority
Optometrists may inject medication for patients having an anaphylactic reaction. Tex. Occupations Code Ann. §351.358
- Learn more about Injectable Authority
- Prescription of controlled substances
Optometrists may prescribe Schedule III-V controlled substances. Tex. Occupations Code Ann. §351.358
- Learn more about Prescription of controlled substances
- Dental Hygienists with Direct Access
A dental hygienist may provide services for up to six months without dentist seeing the patient. Services may be performed in school-based health centers, nursing facility, or community health centers. The dental hygienist must have at least two years of experience. Tex. Occup. Code §262.1515
- Learn more about Dental Hygienists with Direct Access
- Dental Therapists
Statute does not identify dental therapists as an oral health provider.
- Learn more about Dental Therapists
- Practice of Teledentistry
Teledentistry means a health care service delivered by a dentist, or a health professional acting under the delegation and supervision of a dentist, acting within the scope of the dentist’s or health professional’s license or certification to a patient at a different physical location than the dentist or health professional using telecommunications or information technology. Tex. Occup. Code §111.001
- Learn more about Practice of Teledentistry
- Administration of COVID-19 Vaccine
Texas has not enacted legislation allowing pharmacists to administer the COVID-19 vaccine. However, the federal PREP Act does allow pharmacists to administer the COVID-19 vaccine through the duration of the public health emergency.
- Learn more about Administration of COVID-19 Vaccine
- Prescription Adaptation
Texas does not allow pharmacists to modify prescriptions.
- Learn more about Prescription Adaptation
- Prescription of Hormonal Contraceptives
Texas does not allow pharmacists to prescribe hormonal contraceptives.
- Learn more about Prescription of Hormonal Contraceptives
- Prescription of Tobacco Cessation Aids
Texas does not allow pharmacists to prescribe tobacco cessation aids.
- Learn more about Prescription of Tobacco Cessation Aids
- Supervision Requirements (Practice and Prescriptive Authority)
Supervision by a physician required for practice and prescriptive authority.
The practice of a PA includes providing medical services delegated by a supervising physician that are within the education, training and experience of the physician assistant. Medical services provided by a PA may include: (1) obtaining patient histories and performing physical examinations; (2) ordering or performing diagnostic and therapeutic procedures; (3) formulating a working diagnosis; (4) developing and implementing a treatment plan; (5) monitoring the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions; (6) assisting at surgery; (7) offering counseling and education to meet patient needs; (8) requesting, receiving and signing for the receipt of pharmaceutical sample prescription medications and distributing the samples to patients in a specific practice setting in which the PA is authorized to prescribe pharmaceutical medications and sign prescription drug orders as provided by Section 157.0512 or 157.054; (9) prescribing or ordering a drug or device as provided by Subchapter B, Chapter 157; and (10) making appropriate referrals.
A physician’s authority to delegate the prescribing or ordering of a drug or device under this subchapter is limited to: (1) nonprescription drugs; (2) dangerous drugs; and (3) controlled substances to the extent provided by Subsections (b) and (b-1).
A physician may delegate the prescribing or ordering of a controlled substance for controlled substances listed in Schedule III-V. Schedule II authority can only be delegated in certain circumstances and settings. TEX. OCC. CODE ANN. § 157.0511
- Learn more about Supervision Requirements (Practice and Prescriptive Authority)
- Number of PAs Supervised
Statute limits the number of PAs a physician may supervise.
The combined number of advanced practice registered nurses and PAs with whom a physician may enter into a prescriptive authority agreement may not exceed seven (7) advanced practice registered nurses and PAs or the full-time equivalent of seven (7) advanced practice registered nurses and PAs. This provision does not apply to practices serving a medically underserved population or a facility-based practice in a hospital. TEX. OCC. CODE ANN. § 157.0512(c),(d)
- Learn more about Number of PAs Supervised
- Chart Co-Signatures
Texas does not currently have provisions related to chart review or chart co-signatures.
- Learn more about Chart Co-Signatures
- Adaptable Proximity Requirements
Statute allows adaptable proximity.
Supervision of a PA by a supervising physician must be continuous. The supervision does not require the constant physical presence of the supervising physician where PA services are being performed, but, if a supervising physician is not present, the supervising physician and the PA must be, or must be able to easily be, in contact with one another by radio, telephone or another telecommunication device. TEX. OCC. CODE ANN. § 204.204
- Learn more about Adaptable Proximity Requirements
- Scope of Practice Determination
Medical services are delegated by the supervising physician and must be within the education, training and experience of the PA. Tex. Occupations Code Ann. §204.202
- Learn more about Scope of Practice Determination
Most Recent Texas SOP Legislative Search Results
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TX
H 4702 : Peer Support Specialists for Individuals
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Relates to peer support specialists for individuals with an intellectual…
Subject: Peer Support Specialists -
TX
H 4693 : Entities That Provide Services to Rural Texans
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Relates to entities that provide services to rural Texans and…
Subject: NP Practice Authority, NP Prescriptive Authority -
TX
H 4611 : Revision of the Health and Human Service Laws
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Relates to the nonsubstantive revision of the health and human…
Subject: Peer Support Specialists -
TX
H 4346 : Joint Practice by Certain Health Care Professionals
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Relates to joint practice by certain health care professionals.
Subject: Other Advanced Practice Registered Nurse Bills, Other Physician Assistant Bills -
TX
H 4334 : Health, Mental Health, and Educational Services
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Relates to the provision and delivery of certain health, mental…
Subject: Teledentistry
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