Section 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.Amended by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1276, Sec. 10A.213(b), eff. 9/1/2003.Added by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1419, Sec. 1, eff. 6/1/2003.