Rules and Regulations -- Health Facility Program

This page provides links to adopted rules for the facilities regulated by the Health Facility Program and other information pertinent information.
Please follow this link for Draft and Proposed Rules. 

Links to sites outside of DSHS are intended to be informational and do not necessarily imply any official endorsement. Staff associated with the Health Facility Program routinely review the links, but we cannot guarantee the validity of information provided at outside sites.

Current Rules and Regulations

• Abortion Facilities
• Ambulatory Surgical Centers
• Birthing Centers
• Community Mental Health Centers
• Comprehensive Out-Patient Rehabilitation Facilities
• End-Stage Renal Disease Facilities
• Freestanding Emergency Medical Care Facilities
• Hospitals- General
• Hospitals- Psychiatric & Crisis Stabilization Units
• Hospitals- Special
• Narcotic Treatment Clinics
• Out-Patient Physical Therapy or Speech Pathology Services
• Portable X-Ray Services
• Rural Health Clinics
• Special Care Facilities
• Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities
• Texas Medical Disclosure Panel

Draft/Proposed Rules

Recently Adopted Rules

Recently Adopted Rules

• Abortion Facility Reporting and Licensing Rules, Chapter 139 – Abortion Complications Reporting

• HOSPITAL LICENSING RULES, CHAPTER 133 – AMENDED NOVEMBER 11, 2012. Amendments to the Hospital Licensing Rules include:

• Requirement to use "person first respectful language" when referring to individuals with disabilities in agency rules, reference materials, publications, and electronic media.
• Requirement for all hospitals that provide obstetrical services to perform, either directly or through a transfer agreement, audiological screenings on all newborns or infants born at the facility for identification of hearing loss prior to discharge.
• Requirement for hospitals that provide obstetrical services to collaborate with their physicians to develop quality initiatives to reduce the number of elective or nonmedically indicated induced deliveries or cesarean sections performed at the hospital on a woman before the 39th week of gestation.
• Requirement to provide written notice to a patient, on the date the patient is treated or as soon as reasonably practicable following emergency treatment, that the hospital may authorize disposal of medical records relating to the patient on or after the time periods specified in Texas Health and Safety Code §241.103(a) and (b). 

Abortion Facilities

Notice to Medicaid Women’s Health Program Providers

Section 32.0248, Human Resources Code, prohibits the payment of Medicaid Women's Health Program funds to a provider that performs elective abortions. This provision also applies to licensed abortion facilities. A provider that has performed elective abortions (through either surgical or medical methods) for any patient is ineligible to serve Medicaid Women's Health Program clients and cannot be reimbursed for those services. This prohibition has been in effect since September 1, 2005. This prohibition does not prohibit providers from delivering services to other Medicaid clients. The Health and Human Services Commission may recoup Medicaid Women's Health Program funds that it determines were paid to providers that have performed elective abortions.

For more information please call Alex Melis, Medicaid/CHIP Division, Health and Human Services Commission, at (512) 491-1451.

Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASCs)

Birthing Centers

Community Mental Health Centers

Comprehensive Out-Patient Rehabilitation Facilities

End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Facilities

Freestanding Emergency Medical Care Facilities

Hospitals- General

Hospitals- Psychiatric & Crisis Stabilization Units

Hospitals- Special

Narcotic Treatment Clinics (NTC)

Out-Patient Physical Therapy or Speech Pathology Services

Portable X-Ray Services

Rural Health Clinics

Special Care Facilities

Substance Abuse Treatment Facilities

Texas Medical Disclosure Panel