SRC-JFA S.B. 802 75(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 802
By: Zaffirini
Health & Human Services
3-17-97
As Filed


DIGEST 

Currently, certain hospitals are required or authorized  to provide
information collected by the Texas Health Care Information Council
(council) regarding health care fees, effectiveness, and quality.
Additionally, certain hospitals are required or authorized to provide
information collected by the Texas Department of Health (department)
regarding financial and utilization data.  For hospitals that do not seek
to receive reimbursement of any kind (private pay, third-party insurance,
Medicaid, et al.) for medical services, the cost of collecting, coding and
reporting the extensive financiallyfocused data required by the council
and the department can be prohibitive and can dray money away from other
medical services.  This bill would authorize, but not require, hospitals
that are exempt from state franchise, sales, ad valorem, or other state or
local taxes, and that do not seek or receive reimbursement for providing
health care services to patients from any source, to provide such
information to the council and the department, respectively.   

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.B. 802 authorizes, but does not require, certain hospitals
to provide certain information to the Texas Health Care Information
Council and the Texas Department of Health, respectively.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 108.009(c), Health and Safety Code, to authorize
a rural provider to provide the data required by this chapter, rather than
section.  Authorizes a hospital to provide the data required by this
chapter if the hospital is exempt from state franchise, sales, ad valorem,
or other state or local taxes; and does not seek or receive reimbursement
for providing health care services to patients from any source. 

SECTION 2. Amends Chapter 311C, Health and Safety Code, by adding Section
311.039, as follows: 

Sec. 311.039.  EXEMPTION.  Authorizes a hospital to provide data required
by Section 311.033 if the hospital is exempt from state franchise, sales,
ad valorem, or other state or local taxes; and does not seek to receive
reimbursements for providing health care services to patients from any
source.  

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1997.

SECTION 4. Emergency clause.