TO:	Honorable Stephanie Klick, Chair, House Committee on Public Health
FROM:	Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB1137 by Kolkhorst (Relating to the required disclosure of prices for certain items and services provided by certain medical facilities; providing administrative penalties.), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted

The bill would require a facility to compile and maintain a list of all standard charges for certain hospital items and services and make sure the list is available at all time to the public and updated at least once a year. The list would be required to be displayed in a prominent location of the facility's Internet website. 

The Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) would be required to monitor facility compliance with the bill's requirements. If HHSC determined that a facility is not in compliance, the commission would be able to provide a written notice to the facility, request a corrective action plan from the hospital, or impose an administrative penalty on the facility.

HHSC indicates any cost to implement provisions of the bill would be minimal and can be absorbed within available resources. It is assumed any cost for the University of Texas System to implement provisions of the bill would be minimal and can be absorbed within available resources.

Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.