Sec. 401.103. VETERANS HEALTH ISSUES. (a) The governor or the governor's designee may negotiate with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs and any other appropriate federal agency on matters relating to improving the delivery of health care services to veterans in this state, including:

(1) establishing a veterans hospital in the Rio Grande Valley region of the state; and

(2) ensuring the prompt payment of claims submitted by community health care providers to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs for health care services provided to veterans by those providers.

(b) The governor, in consultation with the board of regents of The University of Texas System, may identify shared resources and collaborative opportunities that may be used by the School of Medicine at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and the United States Department of Veterans Affairs to provide quality health care services to residents of the Rio Grande Valley.

(c) The governor may request the assistance of the Department of State Health Services, the Health and Human Services Commission, the Texas Veterans Commission, or any other state agency, department, or office in performing an action under this section. The agency, department, or office shall provide the requested assistance.

Added by Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 633 (S.B. 1463), Sec. 1, eff. June 16, 2015.