Honorable Jane Nelson, Chair, Senate Committee on Health & Human Services
FROM:
John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
SB203 by Shapleigh (Relating to the reporting of health care-associated infections in certain health care facilities.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would add requirements to Chapter 98 of the Health and Safety Code, Reporting of Health Care-Associated Infections. For the specified surgical site infections, a health care facility and a pediatric and adolescent hospital are already required to report to the Department of State Health Services (DSHS). The bill would add the requirement to report the causative pathogen if the infection is laboratory-confirmed. A general hospital would be required to report the causative pathogen of a laboratory-confirmed central line-associated primary bloodstream infection to DSHS.
These additional reporting requirements would not result in a significant fiscal impact to DSHS.
There is a potential for savings to state programs that provide hospital services, including Medicaid, CHIP, and the health plans that administer benefits to retired and current state employees, if required reporting of the causative pathogens encourages facilities to reduce their incidence.
Local Government Impact
A local governmental entity that owns a hospital could incur costs to meet the reporting requirements.