LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 79TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

February 14, 2005

TO:	Honorable Carlos Uresti, Chair, House Committee on Government Reform
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB799 by Uresti (Relating to the creation of an online medical passport for foster children.), As Introduced

Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB799, As Introduced: a negative impact of ($1,292,682) through the biennium ending August 31, 2007.

The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.

General Revenue-Related Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2006	($1,292,682)
2007	$0
2008	$0
2009	$0
2010	$0

All Funds, Five-Year Impact:

Fiscal Year	Probable Savings/(Cost) from GENERAL REVENUE FUND 1	Probable Savings/(Cost) from FEDERAL FUNDS 555
2006	($1,292,682)	($351,952)
2007	$0	$0
2008	$0	$0
2009	$0	$0
2010	$0	$0

Fiscal Analysis

The bill would require the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), by March 1, 2006, to develop and implement an Internet-based medical passport for each foster child. The medical passport system must enable health care providers to update information from the Internet and be secure, confidential, and accessible to any computer with Internet access using existing hardware and software. The bill would require DFPS to provide training or instructional materials on how to use the medical passport and to ensure that the medical passport system is operated in coordination with various fraud prevention activities.

Methodology

To provide a stand alone Online Medical Passport system the agency would develop and implement an Internet-based medical passport for each foster child.  The passport must be maintained in an electronic format.  The database will include the name and address of each of the child's health care providers; and a record of each visit to a health care provider, including routine checkups conducted in accordance with the Texas Health Steps program.  The system used to access the medical passport must be secure and maintain the confidentiality of the child's medical records; be accessible from any computer that has access to the Internet, without requiring the purchase by a physician or other health care provider of additional hardware or software; and allow a physician or other health care provider to update the passport from the Internet.  Estimated costs are based on similar IT projects that have been implemented within recent years.

Technology

Following the methodology above for a comparable system would cost $1,644,634 for implementation.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

529 Health and Human Services Commission, 530 Department of Family and Protective Services

LBB Staff:

JOB, LB, PP, RC, NM