LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD Austin, Texas FISCAL NOTE, 77th Regular Session April 17, 2001 TO: Honorable Kenneth Armbrister, Chair, Senate Committee on Criminal Justice FROM: John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board IN RE: SB1413 by Lindsay (Relating to the reimbursement for health care services provided by hospitals who treat and provide medical care to crime victims pursuant to the Crime Victims' Compensation Act.), As Introduced ************************************************************************** * Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for * * SB1413, As Introduced: positive impact of $0 through the biennium * * ending August 31, 2003. * * * * 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 * * 2002 $0 * * 2003 0 * * 2004 0 * * 2005 0 * * 2006 0 * **************************************************** All Funds, Five-Year Impact: ***************************************************** * Fiscal Year Probable Savings/(Cost) from * * Compensation to Victims of Crime * * Account/ GR-Dedicated * * 0469 * * 2002 $(7,670,000) * * 2003 (8,420,000) * * 2004 (9,260,000) * * 2005 (10,160,000) * * 2006 (11,130,000) * ***************************************************** Fiscal Analysis The bill amends the provisions in the Code of Criminal Procedure relating to the crime victims compensation program. Current statutory provisions limit the amount of compensation payments to a victim to $50,000. For injuries that are considered catastropic, the limit is $100,000. Under the provisions of this bill, a non-profit or county hospital may receive up to $100,000 for health care services it provides to a victim, in addition to the payments made to the victim. The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) estimates that the cost of implementing the provisions of this bill would range from $7.67 million in fiscal year 2002 to $11.13 million in fiscal year 2006, paid from the Compensation to Victims of Crime Fund. Methodology The OAG assumed that the payments to hospitals would be made after the medical bills exceeded the maximum amount that could be paid to the victim. Based on data from fiscal year 1998 claims, and factoring in program and medical cost growth since 1998, the OAG projects that there will be 162 cases in fiscal year 2002 where the medical bills will exceed the maximum limits. The average excess amount is projected to be $47,369 per claim, for a total projected cost of $7.67 million in fiscal year 2002. By fiscal year 2006, the number of eligible claims is projected to be 197, at an average excess amount of $56,488, for a total cost of $11.13 million. Local Government Impact County hospitals and other non-profit public hospitals would receive a portion of the above amounts as revenue. Source Agencies: 302 Office of the Attorney General LBB Staff: JK, JC, SC