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78R602 CLG-D

By:  Madla                                                        S.B. No. 598



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to conducting a study of Medicaid reimbursement of 
emergency medical services providers.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  (a)  The Health and Human Services Commission, in 
conjunction with the Texas Department of Health, shall 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.  In 
conducting the study, the commission shall:
		(1)  evaluate the methodology used to set the rate of 
reimbursement for the various services delivered by emergency 
medical services providers, including trauma services and 
emergency medical services;
		(2)  review the Medicaid reimbursement rates of 
emergency medical services providers by other states;
		(3)  compare the Medicaid reimbursement rates provided 
to emergency medical services providers in urban areas of this 
state with the rates provided for comparable services to emergency 
medical services providers in rural areas of this state; and
		(4)  review basic life-support services and advanced 
life-support services provided by emergency medical services 
providers, considering the cost and sophistication of equipment 
used and the training and certification required by personnel in 
the delivery of those services, to determine whether those services 
should continue to be reimbursed at the same rate.
	(b)  Not later than January 1, 2005, the Health and Human 
Services Commission shall 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)  This section expires September 1, 2005.                                   
	SECTION 2.  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.