BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3926

By: Orr

Public Health

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Increasing access to immunization and vaccination services is a key component of a total wellness and prevention program.  Such access creates positive outcomes for patients, significantly decreases health care costs associated with treating preventable diseases, and simultaneously reduces school and work absenteeism. Current law authorizes certain pharmacists to administer immunizations, but those pharmacists are not currently entitled to reimbursement from the state for immunizing Medicaid recipients.

C.S.H.B. 3926 requires the Health and Human Services Commission to reimburse a pharmacist who provides immunizations and vaccinations to Medicaid recipients.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3926 amends the Human Resources Code to require the Health and Human Services Commission to provide Medicaid reimbursement to a pharmacist who is licensed to practice pharmacy in Texas, is authorized to administer immunizations in accordance with rules adopted by the Texas State Board of Pharmacy, and administers an immunization to a Medicaid recipient to the same extent reimbursement is provided to a physician or other health care provider participating in the Medicaid program for the administration of that immunization.

C.S.H.B. 3926 requires a state agency that is affected by a provision of the bill to request a federal waiver or authorization if the agency determines that a waiver or authorization is necessary for the implementation of the provision, and it authorizes the agency to delay implementation until the federal waiver or authorization is obtained.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2009.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 3926 differs from the original by adding to the requirements for a licensed pharmacist to qualify for Medicaid reimbursement the requirement that the pharmacist be authorized to administer immunizations in accordance with rules adopted by the Texas State Board of Pharmacy.