LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session Revision 1 March 17, 1999 TO: Honorable Patricia Gray, Chair, House Committee on Public Health FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB1652 by Maxey (Relating to an education and prevention program for hepatitis C.), As Introduced ************************************************************************** * Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for * * HB1652, As Introduced: negative impact of $(3,042,963) through * * the biennium ending August 31, 2001. * * * * The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal * * basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of * * the bill. * ************************************************************************** General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact: **************************************************** * Fiscal Year Probable Net Positive/(Negative) * * Impact to General Revenue Related * * Funds * * 2000 $(609,667) * * 2001 (2,433,296) * * 2002 (3,658,271) * * 2003 (3,369,318) * * 2004 (1,903,532) * **************************************************** All Funds, Five-Year Impact: *************************************************************************** *Fiscal Probable Change in Number of State * * Year (Cost) from General Revenue Employees from FY 1999 * * Fund * * 0001 * * 2000 $(609,667) 8.0 * * 2001 (2,433,296) 8.0 * * 2002 (3,658,271) 8.0 * * 2003 (3,369,318) 8.0 * * 2004 (1,903,532) 8.0 * *************************************************************************** Technology Impact Personal computers and printers for the additional staffing are included in the estimates ($16,500). Fiscal Analysis The bill would require the Department of Health to develop a program to heighten awareness and enhance knowledge and understanding of hepatitis C. The program would include: conducting a study to estimate current and future impact of hepatitis C on Texas; conducting health education, public awareness and community outreach activities; providing training to public health clinic staff about hepatitis C; training public health clinic staff about treatment, detection and methods of transmission of hepatitis C; and developing a prevention program to reduce risk of transmission of hepatitis C. The bill would establish voluntary hepatitis C testing programs at facilities providing voluntary HIV testing and would require the department to develop and offer a training course for persons providing hepatitis C counseling. The bill would require the department to maintain a registry of persons who successfully complete the training course. Under the provisions of the bill, the department may charge a fee for the training course to persons other than employees of entities receiving state or federal funds for hepatitis C counseling and training programs to cover the costs of providing the course. Methodology According to the Department of Health (TDH), 7,812 screening tests for hepatitis C would be needed to study the seroprevalence of the disease statewide. The department estimates a cost of $19.73 per test and two additional FTEs to conduct the study. According to the department, three FTEs will be needed to plan, implement and coordinate public and professional education information programs as well as provide training for counselors and administrative support. The estimates include travel for current TDH contractors to attend training, $100,000 per year in the 2000-01 biennium. The department anticipates that current contractors would experience a 5 percent increase in activities due to additional testing and counseling related to hepatitis C. TDH estimates a cost of $286,290 would be required for these activities each fiscal year beginning 2001. According to the department, most HIV counselors are funded or trained using state or federal funds through contracts with the department. It is assumed that the Bureau of Laboratories would perform the screening and confirmatory testing for hepatitis C. In addition to the screening test mentioned above, it is estimated that confirmatory testing for hepatitis C would cost $162 per test and three additional FTEs will be needed to conduct the increased workload of hepatitis C screening and confirmatory tests. Personnel costs are reduced by 25 percent for year one due to an anticipated phase-in period. According to the TDH, hepatitis C testing and counseling would not start until fiscal year 2001. Only testing for the study would be conducted in fiscal year 2000. The department estimates that 61 percent of potentially medically indigent current injecting drug users (IDUs) and 10 percent of potentially medically indigent past IDUs would access existing HIV counseling and testing sites for hepatitis C testing and counseling, a total of 80,981 individuals. It is assumed that 74 percent of these individuals would access the services during the first five years of the program with estimated cost for screening and confirmatory testing of $5,039,422 for fiscal years 2001-2004. Likewise, 23 percent of the potentially medically indigent transfusion recipients would access existing sites for hepatitis C testing and counseling services, a total of 95,248 individuals. It is assumed that 75 percent would access the services at an estimated cost of $1,638,599 for fiscal years 2001-2004. An estimated 71,7075 individuals, potentially medically indigent and exhibiting high-risk sexual behavior, would access the testing and counseling services at existing sites. It is assumed that 59 percent would access the services at an estimated cost of $674,816 for fiscal years 2001-2004. The department estimates that testing for hepatitis C in the IDU and transfusion recipient groups would decline in the fourth and fifth fiscal years of the program while testing in the group exhibiting high-risk sexual behavior would increase and then remain constant beginning in fiscal year 2002. Local Government Impact The provisions of the bill would add hepatitis C counseling and testing responsibilities to the local health departments. According to the Health Department, this responsibility would require the state to increase their contract awards to these entities. Source Agencies: LBB Staff: JK, TP, AZ, RM