Sec. 845.003.  RURAL AREA DESIGNATION.  In determining whether to designate an area as a rural area under this chapter, the commissioner shall consider any area that is delineated as an urbanized area by the United States Bureau of the Census and:
(1)  is contiguous with and not more than 10 miles away from a rural area described by Section 845.002(9)(A) or (B);
(2)  is sparsely populated, compared to areas within a 10-mile radius that are delineated as urbanized areas by the United States Bureau of the Census;
(3)  has not increased in population in any single calendar year in the seven years before the commissioner makes the designation;  and
(4)  in which emergency or primary care services:
(A)  are limited or unavailable in accordance with network access standards imposed by the commissioner;  and
(B)  would be made materially more accessible by allowing access to care in a contiguous area that is otherwise eligible to participate in the system.
Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1419, Sec. 1, eff. June 1, 2003.  Amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1276, Sec. 10A.213(b), eff. Sept. 1, 2003.