LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 80TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 17, 2007

TO:	Honorable Robert Duncan, Chair, Senate Committee on State Affairs
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB1006 by Giddings (Relating to doctor licensing requirements for peer review, utilization, and retrospective review of medical decisions regarding workers' compensation claims.), As Engrossed

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Labor Code to provide that a utilization review agent that uses doctors to perform reviews of health care services must use doctors licensed in this state and provide that a health care provider charge for providing medical information to a utilization review agency be no more than the cost of copying records regarding a workers' compensation claim as set by rules adopted by the commissioner of workers' compensation.

Based on the analysis of the Texas Department of Insurance, it is assumed that any cost associated with the implementation of the bill could be absorbed within existing resources.

The bill would take effect September 1, 2007.

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

454 Department of Insurance

LBB Staff:

JOB, KJG, MW, SK