The commissioner shall designate a single organization as the statewide rural health care system. The system is authorized to sponsor, arrange for the provision of, or provide health care services to enrollees in programs in rural areas. The programs are not subject to:

1. (1) a law requiring the coverage or the offer of coverage for services by a particular health care provider under:

   1. (A) Chapter 62, Health and Safety Code;
   2. (B) Chapter 32, Human Resources Code;
   3. (C) a state-, county-, or local government-sponsored indigent care initiative; or
   4. (D) a federal Medicare Plus Choice program; or
2. (2) Subchapters A-I, Chapter 1251, Subchapter A, Chapter 1364, Subchapter A, Chapter 1366, or Section 1551.064 under a state-, county-, or local government-sponsored uninsured or indigent care initiative.

Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1419, Sec. 1, eff. June 1, 2003.

Amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1276, Sec. 10A.214(a), eff. Sept. 1, 2003.

Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 730 (H.B. 2636), Sec. 2E.055, eff. April 1, 2009.