HBA-MPM H.B. 670 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 670 By: Wise Public Health 2/24/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Under current law, Texas veterans must pay a fee to receive copies of medical records needed to support claims for federal veterans' benefits. Copies of these records are required to be included when a veteran files for disability benefits. Several other classes of Texans are already exempted from this fee by statute. H.B. 670 exempts Texas veterans from the payment of fees for copies of medical records when applying for disability benefits or related assistance. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 161.202(a), Health and Safety Code, to include 38 U.S.C., Section 1101 (Veteran's Benefits Part II - General Benefits, Compensation for Service-Connected Disability or Death, General, Definitions) and 38 U.S.C., Section 1501 (Veteran's Benefits Part II - General Benefits, Pension for Non-Service-Connected Disability or Death or for Service, General, Definitions) in the list of statutes under which an application for disability or other benefits for assistance for a patient or former patient, or an appeal relating to denial of those benefits or assistance, is based. Sets forth that a fee may not be charged for requests for medical records under these statutes. 38 U.S.C., Section 1101 defines "veteran," "period of war," "chronic disease," and "tropical disease." 38 U.S.C., Section 1501 defines "Indian Wars," "World War I," "Civil War veteran," and "period of war." SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 3. Emergency clause.