SRC-TJG C.S.S.B. 493 78(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 493
78R10309 DLF-DBy: Shapleigh
Health & Human Services
3/28/2003
Committee Report (Substituted)


DIGEST 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.  C.S.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

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 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.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2003.

SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES

Differs from original in SECTION 1 by only including the Medicaid managed
care program, rather than the entire Medicaid program, in the list of
programs the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is required to
evaluate to ensure appropriate delivery of mental health and substance
abuse services.   Deletes the Texas Health Steps program from the list of
programs HHSC is required to ensure appropriate delivery of mental health
and substance abuse services. Deletes payment arrangements and
reimbursement rates from the list of actions HHSC is required to monitor. 

Differs from original by deleting existing SECTION 2 and redesignating
existing SECTION 3 as SECTION 2.