SRC-JEC S.B. 101 77(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 101
77R991 KKA-DBy: Nelson
Health and Human Services
4/20/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Currently, Texas does not require a Medicaid managed care recipient to pay
a nominal copayment at the time of treatment.  The Health and Human
Services Commission studied this issue a decade ago but did not make a
recommendation.  As proposed, S.B. 101 requires the Health and Human
Services Commission to reevaluate the issue and make recommendations to the
legislature in an effort to increase patient participation in health care
decision-making and increase the use of primary care physicians rather than
unnecessary emergency room visits. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a
state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 553A, Government Code, to add Section 533.016, as
follows: 

Sec. 533.016. EVALUATION OF COPAYMENT REQUIREMENTS. Requires the Health and
Human Services Commission or an agency operating part of the state Medicaid
managed care program, as appropriate, to evaluate the feasibility of
requiring recipients enrolled in a managed care plan to make nominal
copayments at the time that services are received, as authorized by federal
law; and to make recommendations to the legislature based on that
evaluation.  Provides that this section expires September 1, 2003. 

SECTION 2. Requires the Health and Human Services Commission to submit the
recommendations required by Section 533.016, Government Code, as added by
this Act, not later than November 1, 2002. 

SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.