LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
  
                              April 6, 1999
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Patricia Gray, Chair, House Committee on Public
               Health
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB517  by Gray (Relating to Medicaid reimbursement for
               certain medical consultations.), As Introduced
  
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*  No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.        *
*                                                                        *
*  The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal      *
*  basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of    *
*  the bill.                                                             *
*                                                                        *
*  The bill would expand the use of Medicaid reimbursement for           *
*  telemedical consultations.  Health facilities that may eligible       *
*  for reimbursement for telemedicine services are expanded from         *
*  rural health facilities to licensed nonprofit hospitals and health    *
*  clinics affiliated with accredited medical schools or a teaching      *
*  hospital affiliated with an accredited medical school.  To the        *
*  extent that this modification enhances access to consultations for    *
*  Medicaid eligible persons, it is possible that the Medicaid           *
*  program could incur more costs than under current program             *
*  operations.                                                           *
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Local Government Impact
  
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is
anticipated.
  
  
Source Agencies:   
LBB Staff:         JK, TP, KF