1-1  By:  Patterson, Moncrief, Zaffirini                   S.C.R. No. 59
    1-2        (In the Senate - Filed February 16, 1995; February 16, 1995,
    1-3  read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human
    1-4  Services; March 16, 1995, reported adversely, with favorable
    1-5  Committee Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 9, Nays 0;
    1-6  March 16, 1995, sent to printer.)
    1-7  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.C.R. No. 59               By:  Patterson
    1-8                     SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
    1-9        WHEREAS, In its report to the 74th Texas Legislature, the
   1-10  Senate Health and Human Services Committee concluded that there is
   1-11  a pressing need for an audit of the Medicaid program, that it may
   1-12  be in the best interest of the state if nursing homes were dually
   1-13  certified for Medicare and Medicaid, and that significant savings
   1-14  might accrue if certain state schools and hospitals were
   1-15  privatized; and
   1-16        WHEREAS, A targeted audit focusing on areas not audited
   1-17  regularly or previously could potentially save a substantial amount
   1-18  of state revenue by helping to reduce fraud; and
   1-19        WHEREAS, It is the responsibility of the federal Medicare
   1-20  program to pay for the first 100 days of skilled nursing facility
   1-21  care after hospital discharge, but if a facility is not dually
   1-22  certified these costs are assumed by the state Medicaid program;
   1-23  therefore, dual certification of facilities where appropriate to
   1-24  serve both Medicare and Medicaid clients could potentially save
   1-25  state revenue by allowing the federally funded program to assume
   1-26  these costs; and
   1-27        WHEREAS, Privatization of state school campus operations
   1-28  potentially could save an estimated $14.1 million in general
   1-29  revenue per fiscal year, while privatization of state hospitals
   1-30  potentially could save an estimated $4.87 million in general
   1-31  revenue for the 1996-1997 biennium; now, therefore, be it
   1-32        RESOLVED, That the 74th Legislature of the State of Texas
   1-33  hereby request the State Medicaid Office, in conjunction with the
   1-34  appropriate state agencies, to develop a proposal for the purpose
   1-35  and scope of a targeted audit of the Medicaid program; and, be it
   1-36  further
   1-37        RESOLVED, That the State Medicaid Office submit the proposal
   1-38  for a program audit to the Senate Health and Human Services
   1-39  Committee not later than March 1, 1995; and, be it further
   1-40        RESOLVED, That the State Medicaid Office, with public input
   1-41  including input from the long-term care industry and senior citizen
   1-42  advocacy organizations, determine the feasibility of requiring some
   1-43  Medicaid nursing homes to also certify beds for Medicare and
   1-44  examine incentives to maximize the use of federal funds by ensuring
   1-45  that all geographic areas of the state have sufficient Medicare
   1-46  beds to meet the public need; and, be it further
   1-47        RESOLVED, That the State Medicaid Office report its findings
   1-48  on the feasibility of requiring dual certification of nursing
   1-49  facilities to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee not
   1-50  later than May 15, 1995; and, be it further
   1-51        RESOLVED, That the Council on Competitive Government study
   1-52  the feasibility and ramifications of privatizing state schools for
   1-53  persons with mental retardation and of privatizing state hospitals
   1-54  for persons with mental illness; and, be it further
   1-55        RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward official copies
   1-56  of this resolution to the State Medicaid Office and to the Council
   1-57  on Competitive Government.
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