SRC-VRA S.B. 1171 78(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.B. 1171
By: Janek
Health & Human Services
4/1/2003
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Trauma care is often life-saving and expensive.  As proposed, S.B. 1171
requires the Health and Human Services Commission to establish a
demonstration project to provide trauma care to trauma victims in Harris
and Galveston counties. 

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 32B, Human Resources Code, by adding Section
32.057, as follows: 

Sec.  32.057.  DEMONSTRATION PROJECT FOR TRAUMA VICTIMS.  (a)  Defines
"intoxicated," "project," "traumatic injury," "trauma care," and "trauma
victim." 

(b)  Requires the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to establish
a demonstration project providing trauma care to trauma victims.  Requires
the project to be established in Harris and Galveston counties.  

  (c)  Requires HHSC to ensure that the project is financed using certain
funds. 

(d)  Provides that a person is eligible to participate in the project if
the person meets certain conditions. 

  (e)  Provides that participation in the project does not entitle a
person to other   services provided under the medical assistance program. 
  
(f)  Requires all funds, assessments, and proceeds received or collected
under this section to be remitted to and administered by the
Houston-Galveston Area Council, which is required to deposit the funds in
an account to be known as the trauma care demonstration project fund.
Authorizes revenues from the fund to be used only for  the provision of
trauma care under this section.  Requires the council to submit quarterly
fund reports to HHSC. 
 
(g)  Requires HHSC, not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year,
to submit a biennial report to the legislature relating to HHSC's progress
in establishing and operating the project. 
 
(h)  Requires HHSC, not later than December 1, 2006, to evaluate the
costeffectiveness of the project, including whether the services and
medications provided to project participants reduce the cost of future
medical care by an amount that is greater than the cost of the trauma
care.  Requires HHSC, if the results of the evaluation indicate that the
project is cost-effective, to incorporate a request for funding for the
expansion of the project into additional counties or throughout the state,
as appropriate, in HHSC's budget request for the next state  fiscal
biennium. 
 
  (i)  Provides that this section expires September 1, 2007.

SECTION 2.  Requires the state agency responsible for implementing the
trauma care demonstration project required under Section 32.057, Human
Resources Code, as added by this Act, to request and actively pursue any
necessary waivers or authorizations from the Centers for Medicare and
Medicaid Services of the United States Department of Health and Human
Services or other appropriate entities to enable the agency to implement
the project not later than September 1, 2004.  Authorizes the agency to
delay implementing the project until the necessary waivers or
authorizations are granted. 

SECTION 3.  Effective:  upon passage or September 1, 2003.