BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 1684
79R9479 JRD-D By: Janek
AUTHOR'S/SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston (UTMB) is the only state-owned multi-categorical teaching hospital that is mandated in its charter to provide care to any person in the State of Texas. As a result, UTMB provides uncompensated care and has little success in collecting the medical expenses from the county where the resident resides.
As proposed, S.B. 1684 alleviates some of this burden and ensures the ability of UTMB to continue to provide this care, by requiring that the first $10 million collected in the trauma facility and emergency medical services account be allocated each year to UTMB and the remaining amount in the fund be distributed as set forth in the statute.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 780.004, Health and Safety Code, by amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (c-1), as follows:
(c) Requires the commissioner of public health to use at least 96 percent of the money appropriated from the designated trauma facility and emergency medical services account, after any amount necessary to maintain the reserve established by Subsection (b) is deducted, to fund a portion of the uncompensated trauma care provided at facilities designated facility in active pursuit of designation and to fund a portion of other uncompensated care as provided by Subsection (c-1).
(c-1) Requires the first $10 million disbursed under Subsection (c) each fiscal year to be used to fund a portion of the uncompensated care provided by The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.
SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2005.