S.B. 493 78(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


S.B. 493
By: Shapleigh
State Health Care Expenditures, Select
Committee Report (Unamended)



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Currently, the level of funding that the Texas Department of Mental Health
and Mental 
Retardation (TDMHMR) receives enables TDMHMR to serve only about 27
percent of children 
in TDMHMR's projected priority population. As a result, more than 110,000
Texas children 
who may qualify for publicly funded mental health services remain
untreated. S.B. 493 
requires the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to regularly
evaluate program 
contractors and subcontractors that provide or arrange for services for
persons enrolled in the 
Medicaid managed care program, and CHIP. HHSC will be required to monitor
penetration 
rates, utilization rates, and provider networks.


RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or
institution. 

ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 531B, Government Code, by adding Section
531.0224, as 
follows:
 Sec. 531.0224. MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE SERVICES. (a)
 Requires the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), to ensure
appropriate 
 delivery of mental health and substance abuse services, to regularly
evaluate program 
 contractors and subcontractors that provide or arrange for the services
of persons enrolled 
 in certain programs.

(b) Requires HHSC to monitor certain activities and rates relating to
mental health and substance abuse services. 

SECTION 2. Provides that this Act will take effect immediately if it
receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does
not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect
September 1, 2003.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of
all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article
III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary
for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2003.