MINUTES
SENATE INTERIM COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Tuesday, October 7, 1997
9 a.m.
Senate Chamber
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.11, an organizational meeting and briefing of the Senate
Interim Committee on Health and Human Services was held on
Tuesday, October 7, 1997, in the Senate Chamber at Austin,
Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Judith Zaffirini, Chair Senator Chris Harris
Senator John Carona
Senator Jon Lindsay
Senator Frank Madla
*****
The chair called the meeting to order at 9 a.m. There being a
quorum present, the following business was transacted.
The chair made opening remarks and announced that the purpose
of the meeting was to consider the organization, rules,
procedures and proposed schedule for the Senate Interim
Committee on Health and Human Services and to receive
briefings regarding interim charges from Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock.
The chair laid out the rules for the Senate Interim Committee
on Health and Human Services and called for revisions. There
being none, Senator Madla moved their approval. There being
no objection, the rules were adopted by unanimous consent.
The chair called invited panelists to brief committee members
regarding efforts to reduce fraud and improper payments under
the state Medicaid and welfare programs, including the
implementation of Senate Bill 30 by Sen. Judith Zaffirini and
Rep. Glen Maxey.
The following person provided oral and written testimony:
Dr. Michael D. McKinney, commissioner, Texas Health and
Human Services Commission, 4900 N. Lamar, 4th Floor,
Austin, Texas 78711-3247.
The following persons provided oral testimony:
Eric Bost, commissioner, Texas Department of Human
Services, 701 West 51st Street, Austin, Texas 78714-9030.
Robin Herskowitz, senior policy analyst, Comptroller of
Public Accounts, 111 East 17th Street, Austin, Texas
78711-3528.
Beth Taylor, division chief, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit,
Office of the Attorney General, P.O. Box 12548, Austin,
Texas 78711-2548.
Melissa Todd, division chief, Elder Law, Office of the
Attorney General, P.O. Box 12548, Austin, Texas
78711-2548.
Nance Stearman, director, Health Facility Compliance
Division, Texas Department of Health, 1100 West 49th
Street, Austin, Texas 78756.
Ron Mansolo, associate commissioner, Texas Department of
Health, 1100 W. 49th Street, Austin, Texas 78756.
Aurora LeBrun, associate commissioner, Texas Health and
Human Services Commission, 4900 N. Lamar, 4th Floor,
Austin, Texas 78711-3247.
The following persons registered, but did not testify:
Paul Luce, manager, Third Party Reimbursement, Mercy
Regional Medical Center, P.O.
Box 2068, Laredo, Texas 78044-2068.
Pamela Leming Brower, CPA, director, Business Office,
Mercy Regional Medical Center, 1515 Logan Avenue, Laredo,
Texas 78044.
The chair called invited panelists to brief committee members
regarding federal welfare reform.
The following persons provided oral and written testimony:
Dr. Michael D. McKinney, commissioner, Texas Health and
Human Services Commission, 4900 N. Lamar, 4th Floor,
Austin, Texas 78711-3247.
Pat Montoya, director, U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services, 1200 Main Tower, Suite 1100, Dallas,
Texas 75202.
Laurie Rich, executive director, Texas Office of State
and Federal Relations, 122 C Street, NW, Suite 200,
Austin, Texas 20001.
The following persons provided oral testimony:
Eric Bost, commissioner, Texas Department of Human
Services, 701 West 51st Street, Austin, Texas 78714-9030.
Bill Hammond, chair, Texas Workforce Commission, 101 East
15th Street, Austin, Texas 78778-0001.
The following person registered as a resource witness:
Ron Lindsay, director, Health and Human Services, Office
of the Governor, P.O. Box 12428, Austin, Texas 78711.
The chair called invited panelists to brief committee members
regarding the implementation of Senate Bill 55 by Sen. Judith
Zaffirini and Rep. Hugo Berlanga, relating to minors' access
to tobacco.
The following persons provided oral testimony:
Dr. Patti Patterson, executive deputy commissioner, Texas
Department of Health, 1100 West 49th Street, Austin,
Texas 78756.
Robin Herskowitz, senior policy analyst, Comptroller of
Public Accounts, 111 East 17th Street, Austin, Texas
78711-3528.
Philip Huang, chief, Bureau of Chronic Disease, Texas
Department of Health, 1100 West 49th Street, Austin,
Texas 78756.
The chair called invited panelists to brief committee members
regarding developments in the federal tobacco settlement
discussions.
The following person provided oral and written testimony:
Laurie Rich, executive director, Texas Office of State
and Federal Relations, 122 C Street, NW, Suite 200,
Washington, DC 20001.
The chair called invited panelists to brief committee members
regarding demographic trends of Texas that will impact the
health and human services delivery system in the future.
The following persons provided oral and written testimony:
Dr. Michael D. McKinney, commissioner, Texas Health and
Human Services Commission, 4900 N. Lamar, 4th Floor,
Austin, Texas 78711-3247.
Dr. Steve Murdock, professor, Department of Rural
Sociology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
77843-2125.
The chair called invited panelists to brief committee members
regarding current practices in patient billing by Texas
hospitals and providers of health care to evaluate the
accuracy, clarity and timeliness of patient billings.
The following persons provided oral testimony:
Linda Bayless, director, Fraud Unit, Texas Department of
Insurance, 333 Guadalupe Street, Austin, Texas 78714.
Nance Stearman, director, Texas Department of Health,
1100 West 49th Street, Austin, Texas 78756.
Dianne Longley, insurance director, Life and Group
Health, Texas Department of Insurance, 333 Guadalupe
Street, Austin, Texas 78714.
Tony Cobos, general counsel, Texas State Board of Medical
Examiners, P.O. Box 2018, Austin, Texas 78660.
Andy Salmon, director, Advertising and Complaints
Resolution, Texas Department of Insurance, 333 Guadalupe
Street, Austin, Texas 78714.
The following persons registered as resource witnesses:
Dr. Jim Zukowski, director, Health Professional Licensing
Division, Texas Department of Health, 1100 West 49th
Street, Austin, Texas 78727.
John F. Zavala, investigator, Texas Board of Chiropractor
Examiners, 333 Guadalupe Street, Tower 3, Suite 825,
Austin, Texas 78702.
With no other business to come before the committee, the chair
recessed the Senate Interim Committee on Health and Human
Services at 12 p.m., subject to the call of the chair.
_______________________________
Senator Judith Zaffirini, Chair
_______________________________
Pam Crowley, Committee Clerk