| TO: | Honorable Jane Nelson, Chair, Senate Committee on Health & Human Services |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB24 by Nelson (Relating to reimbursement under the state Medicaid program for certain health care services provided through telemedicine.), As Introduced |
The bill would authorize the state Medicaid program to reimburse providers for medical services provided through telemedicine. Section 1 of the bill would expand the title of the section to include telemedicine services. Section 2 of the bill would allow Medicaid to reimburse a physician for a telemedicine service provided by a physician who is assessing and evaluating a patient when three conditions are met: (1) when an advanced practice nurse (APN) or physician assistant (PA) is presenting the client at a remote site and the APN or PA is working under the delegation and supervision of the same physician at the hub site, (2) the service must be a follow up treatment or care provided under a treatment plan established by the same physician at the hub site who has already provided an in person consultation to the client, and (3) the client's medical condition, illness, or injury is not likely to undergo material deterioration within the next 30 days.
Section 3 of the bill would require HHSC to request a waiver, if needed, to implement the bill. Section 4 of the bill makes the bill effective as of September 1, 2007.
The Health and Human Services Commission indicates that any costs associated with the bill could be absorbed within the agency's existing resources.
| Source Agencies: | 529 Health and Human Services Commission
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, CL, PP, MB
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