Tex. Health and Safety Code § 61.044
This is the official text of Tex. Health and Safety Code § 61.044, part of Texas’s Health and Safety Code — covers public health and safety regulation.
Not legal advice. This page reproduces the official text of a government statute for reference only. Laws change, and how a statute applies depends on your specific facts. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed attorney in your state.
§ 61.044. SUBROGATION.
Official statutory text
(a) The filing of an application for or receipt of services constitutes an assignment of the applicant's or recipient's right of recovery from:
(1) personal insurance;
(2) other sources; or
(3) another person for personal injury caused by the other person's negligence or wrong.
(b) A person who applies for or receives services shall inform the county, at the time of application or at any time during eligibility, of any unsettled tort claim that may affect medical needs and of any private accident or sickness insurance coverage that is or may become available. An applicant or eligible resident shall inform the county of any injury that is caused by the act or failure to act of some other person. An applicant or eligible resident shall inform the county as required by this subsection within 10 days of the date the person learns of the person's insurance coverage, tort claim, or potential cause of action.
(c) A claim for damages for personal injury does not constitute grounds for denying or discontinuing services under this chapter.
(d) A separate and distinct cause of action in favor of the county is hereby created, and the county may, without written consent, take direct civil action in any court of competent jurisdiction. A suit brought under this section need not be ancillary to or dependent on any other action.
(e) The county's right of recovery is limited to the amount of the cost of services paid by the county. Other subrogation rights granted under this section are limited to the cost of the services provided.
(f) An applicant or eligible resident who knowingly and intentionally fails to disclose the information required by Subsection (b) commits a Class C misdemeanor.
(g) An applicant or eligible resident is subject to denial of services under this chapter following an administrative hearing.
(1) personal insurance;
(2) other sources; or
(3) another person for personal injury caused by the other person's negligence or wrong.
(b) A person who applies for or receives services shall inform the county, at the time of application or at any time during eligibility, of any unsettled tort claim that may affect medical needs and of any private accident or sickness insurance coverage that is or may become available. An applicant or eligible resident shall inform the county of any injury that is caused by the act or failure to act of some other person. An applicant or eligible resident shall inform the county as required by this subsection within 10 days of the date the person learns of the person's insurance coverage, tort claim, or potential cause of action.
(c) A claim for damages for personal injury does not constitute grounds for denying or discontinuing services under this chapter.
(d) A separate and distinct cause of action in favor of the county is hereby created, and the county may, without written consent, take direct civil action in any court of competent jurisdiction. A suit brought under this section need not be ancillary to or dependent on any other action.
(e) The county's right of recovery is limited to the amount of the cost of services paid by the county. Other subrogation rights granted under this section are limited to the cost of the services provided.
(f) An applicant or eligible resident who knowingly and intentionally fails to disclose the information required by Subsection (b) commits a Class C misdemeanor.
(g) An applicant or eligible resident is subject to denial of services under this chapter following an administrative hearing.
Status: in_force · Read it on the official government site
Need a lawyer in Texas?
Find a Texas lawyer
About this page: Statute text is reproduced from official government publishers via the
Open US Law dataset
(Vaquill AI, snapshot v2026.08, CC BY 4.0). Primary legislative text like this is public domain under the government-edicts doctrine
(Georgia v. Public.Resource.Org, 2020). We link every section back to its official source so you can verify it independently.