BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 4922

By: Oliverson

County Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Emergency services districts are not currently authorized to implement mobile integrated health care community paramedicine programs. These programs may help reduce the costs that the districts and their taxpayers incur for unnecessary emergency medical transport and could simultaneously improve health care for at-risk individuals in Texas' rural and suburban communities by providing such services as immunizations, screenings, checkups, and patient counseling. H.B. 4922 seeks to address this issue by authorizing certain emergency services districts to provide preventive health care services to reduce reliance on 9-1-1 transports and systems for routine health care.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 4922 amends the Health and Safety Code to authorize an emergency services district to do the following:

· provide preventive health care services to reduce reliance on 9-1-1 transports and systems for routine health care; and

· contract with the state or a local government to provide those services.

The bill specifies that a reference in statutory provisions governing emergency services districts to the district providing emergency services includes preventive health care services. The bill authorizes a district to make necessary improvements and to adopt rules and regulations for the purposes of the bill's provisions. The bill requires a district in a county with a population of less than 60,000 to obtain approval from the county commissioners court prior to providing preventive health care services.

H.B. 4922 applies to a district that is licensed as or contracts with an emergency medical services provider or first responder organization under the Emergency Health Care Act. The bill defines "preventive health care services" as out-of-hospital routine health care services, including immunizations, screenings, checkups, and patient counseling, provided for the purpose of preventing illness, disease, or other health problems.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2023.