The House Committee on Public Health
76th Legislature
June 28, 2000
10:00 a.m.
Capitol Extension, E2.030
Pursuant to a notice posted on June 1, 2000, the House Committee
on Public Health met in a public hearing and was called to order
by the chair, Representative Gray, at 10:15 a.m.
The roll was answered as follows:
Present: Representatives Gray; Coleman; Delisi; Glaze; Maxey;
McClendon; Uresti (7).
Absent: Representatives Capelo; Hilderbran (2).
A quorum was present.
The chair made opening remarks and announced that the purpose of
the meeting was to review the charity care law, as well as have
an overview of issues arising from hospital system sales,
conversions, partnerships and mergers, including the impact on
health care in medically underserved and rural communities and
on the level of charity care provided; and to review current
requirements imposed on emergency medical services providers in
rural areas, and whether individual requirements encourage or
hinder the provision of services.
(Representative Glaze in chair.)
The chair called upon witnesses who were invited to give the
committee an overview of the charity care law.
The following persons provided oral testimony:
Mary Taylor Henderson, Charitable Trusts Section, Consumer
Protection Division, Office of the Attorney General
Anne Henry, Acting Director, Office of Policy and Planning,
Texas Department of Health
Shaku Desai, Supervisor, Hospital Data Collection, Texas
Department of Health
Sam Tessen, Executive Director, Texas Center for Rural
Health Initiatives
The chair called upon witnesses who were invited to give the
committee briefings regarding provider and consumer perspectives
of the charity care law, and the impact of hospital system
sales, conversions, partnerships and mergers on the level of
charity care provided in medically underserved and rural
communities.
The following persons provided oral testimony:
Brenita Crawford, Executive Vice President, The Methodist
Hospital
John A. Guest, President/CEO, Harris County Hospital
District
Richard S. Wayne, MD, CEO, Christus Santa Rosa Children's
Hospital
Mary Faith Sterk, Scott and White Memorial Hospital
Ashley Smith, President/CEO, TIRR Systems
Charles Bailey, General Counsel, Texas Hospital Association
Lisa McGiffert, Senior Policy Analyst, Consumers's Union
The chair called upon witnesses who were invited to give the
committee an overview regarding current requirements imposed on
emergency medical services providers in rural areas, and whether
individual requirements encourage or hinder the provision of
services.
(Representative Capelo now present.)
The following persons provided oral testimony:
Kathy Perkins, Acting Chief, Bureau of Emergency
Management, Texas Department of Health
Edward Racht, MD, GETAC Chair, Medical Director, Austin
Emergency Medical Services
Sam Tessen, Executive Director, Texas Center for Rural
Health Initiatives
The chair called upon witnesses who were invited to give the
committee an overview regarding various perspectives of current
and proposed requirements on emergency medical services
providers in rural areas, and whether individual requirements
encourage or hinder the provision of services.
The following persons provided oral testimony:
James Steska, East Texas Medical Center
David Persse, Medical Director, Houston Fire Department
John Story, Emergency Medical Technitian - P, Bandera
County
David Jung, Emergency Medical Technitian - I, Harper
Volunteer Fire Department
David Burden, Chief, Atlanta Fire Department
F.E. Shaheen, EMT-P, Levelland Emergency Medical
Services Corporation
The committee considered public testimony.
(Representative Gray in chair)
At 3:30 pm, upon the motion of the chair and without objection,
the meeting was adjourned subject to the call of the chair.
__________________________________
Rep. Patricia Gray, Chair
__________________________________
Pam Crowley, Chief Clerk