LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 78TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 8, 2003

TO:	Honorable Dianne White Delisi, Chair, House Committee on State Health Care Expenditures, Select
FROM:	John Keel, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB3485 by Delisi (Relating to the medical transportation program.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would prohibit the Health and Human Services (HHSC), in its rules governing the medical transportation program, from prohibiting a recipient of medical assistance from receiving transportation services though the program on the basis that the recipient resides in a nursing facility.

The bill would require that the medical transportation program (operated by the Department of Health) provide transportation services to nursing facility clients.  Absent other changes, this provision would result in increased costs.  However, it is assumed that HHSC would direct the Department of Human Services to remove the transportation allowance within nursing facility rates and to transfer this funding to the Department of Health.  It is also assumed that the cost of providing transportation for nursing facility clients through the medical transportation program would equal the cost of providing the same clients transportation services through the Department of Human Services.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:	324 Department of Human Services, 501 Department of Health, 529 Health and Human Services Commission
LBB Staff:	JK, EB, PP