SRC-AXB H.B. 670 76(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   H.B. 670
76R937  CMR-DBy: Wise (Brown)
Veterans Affairs
5/4/1999
Engrossed


DIGEST 

Currently, Texas veterans are required to pay a fee when requesting copies
of medical records to be included in an application for disability
benefits.  Applicants for other programs such as Aid to Dependent Families
with Dependent Children, Texas' Medicaid Program, and Federal Old Age and
Survivors Insurance, are eligible to receive free medical records.  H.B.
670 prohibits a fee from being charged to veterans for a health record
request, under certain conditions. 

PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 670 provides medical records to Texas veterans without a
fee, for certain purposes. 

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 161.202(a), Health and Safety Code, to prohibit
a fee from being charged for a health record request by certain patients
who seek to receive disability benefits under 38 U.S.C. Sections 1101 and
1501 et seq., as amended. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date:  September 1, 1999.

SECTION 3.  Emergency clause.