SRC-VRA S.B. 598 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 598
78R602 CLG-DBy: Madla
Health & Human Services
2/28/2003
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

While EMS providers receive some funding through grants, they must also
rely on reimbursements from public and private insurance.  However, many
volunteer or small EMS operators are finding that public insurance, such
as Medicaid, has such a low reimbursement rate and has become so
cumbersome to collect, that it is often too difficult or impractical to
bill. With increased public awareness of available services, demands on
EMS have increased significantly.  As proposed, S.B. 598 requires the
Health and Human Services Commission to study the current Medicaid
reimbursement rates to determine the accuracy of costs of services and
whether reimbursement rates are sufficient to support the EMS
infrastructure. 

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.  (a)  Requires the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC),
in conjunction with the Texas Department of Health, to study the
reimbursement of emergency medical services providers under the state
Medicaid program to determine whether the providers are being reasonably
reimbursed for their services under the program.  Requires HHSC, in
conducting the study, to perform certain tasks. 
  
(b)  Requires HHSC, not later than January 1, 2005, to submit a report of
the findings of the study to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the
speaker of the house of representatives, and the clerks of the standing
committees of the senate and house of representatives with primary
jurisdiction over the state Medicaid program. 
 
  (c)  Provides that this section expires September 1, 2005.

SECTION 2.  Effective date:  upon passage or September 1, 2003.