GENERAL ELIGIBILITY PROVISIONS.

(a) A public hospital or hospital district shall provide health care assistance to each eligible resident in its service area who meets:

(1) the basic income and resources requirements established by the department under Sections 61.006 and 61.008 and in effect when the assistance is requested; or

(2) a less restrictive income and resources standard adopted by the hospital or hospital district serving the area in which the person resides.

(b) If a public hospital used an income and resources standard during the operating year that ended before January 1, 1985, that was less restrictive than the income and resources requirements established by the department under Section 61.006, the hospital shall adopt that standard to determine eligibility under this subchapter.

(c) If a public hospital did not use an income and resources standard during the operating year that ended before January 1, 1985, but had a Hill-Burton obligation during part of that year, the hospital shall adopt the standard the hospital used to meet the Hill-Burton obligation to determine eligibility under this subchapter.

(d) A public hospital established after September 1, 1985, shall provide health care services to each resident who meets the income and resources requirements established by the department under Sections 61.006 and 61.008, or the hospital may adopt a less restrictive income and resources standard. The hospital may adopt a less restrictive income and resources standard at any time.

(e) If because of a change in the income and resources requirements established by the department under Sections 61.006 and 61.008 the standard adopted by a public hospital or hospital district becomes stricter than the requirements established by the department, the hospital or hospital district shall change its standard to at least comply with the requirements established by the department.

(f) A public hospital or hospital district may contract with the department to perform eligibility determination services.

(g) A county that provides health care services to its eligible residents through a hospital established by a board of managers jointly appointed by a county and a municipality under Section 265.011 and that establishes an income and resources standard in accordance with Subsection (a)(2) may credit the services provided to all persons who are eligible under that standard toward eligibility for state assistance as described by Section 61.037(e).