LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 76th Regular Session April 15, 1999 TO: Honorable Kim Brimer, Chair, House Committee on Business & Industry FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: HB2506 by Solomons (relating to the establishment of a pilot program regarding ancillary medical benefits under the workers' compensation system), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted ************************************************************************** * Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for * * HB2506, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: positive impact * * of $0 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 $0 * * 2001 0 * * 2002 0 * * 2003 0 * * 2004 0 * **************************************************** All Funds, Five-Year Impact: ************************************************************************** *Fiscal Probable Probable Revenue Change in Number of * * Year Savings/(Cost) from Gain/(Loss) from State Employees from * * Research & Oversight Research & Oversight FY 1999 * * Council Workers' Council Workers' * * Compensation Compensation * * Account/ Account/ * * GR-Dedicated GR-Dedicated * * 5016 5016 * * 2000 $(99,036) $99,036 1.0 * * 2001 (39,277) 39,277 1.0 * * 2002 0 0 0.0 * * 2003 0 0 0.0 * * 2004 0 0 0.0 * ************************************************************************** Fiscal Analysis The bill would require the Research and Oversight Council on Workers' Compensation (ROC) to conduct a pilot program to identify ancillary medical service providers based on the recommendations and directions of the employee's treating doctor. The bill would create an advisory committee to direct the pilot program, and would require ROC to report of the results of the pilot no later than December 31, 2000. Methodology It is estimated that the ROC would incur costs to develop, implement and evaluate the pilot program. It is assumed that the project would be complete by December 31, 2000, and that all costs would be offset by additional revenue from the Research and Oversight Council portion of the Workers' Compensation Maintenance Tax. Local Government Impact No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated. Source Agencies: LBB Staff: JK, TH, CB