MINUTES
JOINT INTERIM COMMITTEE ON HEALTH SERVICES
Tuesday, October 30, 2001
10 a.m.
Senate Chamber
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.18, a public hearing of the Joint Interim Committee on Health
Services was held on Tuesday, Oct. 30, 2001, in the Senate
Chamber at Austin, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Judith Zaffirini, Senate Chair Senator Robert Duncan
Senator Jane Nelson Senator Steve Ogden
Senator Eliot Shapleigh Representative Craig
Eiland
Representative Patricia Gray, House Chair Representative
Arlene Wohlgemuth
Representative Garnet Coleman
Representative Kyle Janek
*****
The Senate members were called to order by Chair Zaffirini, and
the House members were called to order by Chair Gray. The
hearing convened at 10 a.m., and a quorum was established at
10:40 a.m. The following business was transacted:
Chair Zaffirini and Chair Gray made opening remarks and welcomed
members and staff to the hearing.
Chair Zaffirini read the interim charges issued by Lt. Gov.
Ratliff and Speaker Laney and announced that the committee would
consider administrative matters and hear testimony from invited
witnesses.
The chairs called invited witnesses to brief the committee
members.
The following persons provided oral testimony:
Don Gilbert, commissioner, Health and Human Services
Commission, answered questions from the committee and
provided a detailed presentation concerning health services
and the status of his agency's cost-savings strategies in
light of Medicaid cost containment directives issued by the
77th Legislature.
Kelly Furgeson, Legislative Budget Board, answered
questions and spoke briefly about funding for Health and
Human Services Programs.
Paul Priest, Legislative Budget Board, answered questions
and presented an overview of actions taken by the 77th
Legislature regarding Medicaid, Tobacco Funding, Children's
Health Insurance Program (CHIP) and other provisions.
Phyllis Coombs, Office of the State Comptroller, answered
questions and provided a report about healthcare spending.
Chair Zaffirini laid out the interim rules and proposed
amendments to the rules for the Joint Interim Committee on
Health Services and called for revisions. There being none,
Representative Janek moved their approval. There being no
objection, the rules, as amended, were adopted by unanimous
consent.
The chairs and members introduced their staff representatives
and committee staff members.
Chair Zaffirini and Chair Gray thanked all who were present and
testified.
With no other business to come before the committee, the chairs
recessed the committee by unanimous consent at 1:12 p.m.,
subject to the call of the chairs.
___________________________
Senator Judith Zaffirini, Senate Chair
_______________________________
Representative Patricia Gray, House Chair
______________________
Amber Martin, Clerk