LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
                              Austin, Texas
                                     
                    FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session
  
                              April 5, 1999
  
  
          TO:  Honorable Patricia Gray, Chair, House Committee on Public
               Health
  
        FROM:  John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
  
       IN RE:  HB2304  by Coleman (Relating to certain providers of
               family counseling services under the medical assistance
               program), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
  
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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 permit recipients of medical assistance to select a
licensed marriage or family therapist to perform any health care service
or procedure covered under the medical assistance program if the
marriage and family therapist is authorized by law to perform the
service or procedure.  The Department of Health anticipates that this
modification would increase expenditures out of the General Revenue Fund
for the Medicaid program by $175,133 in 2000 and $145,472 in subsequent
years.  It is assumed that this increase could be absorbed by the agency
within existing resources.
  
Local Government Impact
  
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
  
  
Source Agencies:   
LBB Staff:         JK, TP, KF