| TO: | Honorable Jane Nelson, Chair, Senate Committee on Health & Human Services |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB289 by Nelson (Relating to ensuring that health information technology used in the medical assistance and child health plan programs conforms to certain standards.), As Introduced |
The bill would require the Health and Human Services Commission to ensure that any health information technology (HIT) used in the Medicaid and CHIP programs conform to the standards adopted by the Health Information Technology Standards Panel (HITSP) sponsored by the American National Standards Institute.
HHSC states that these standards are not fully developed at this time; therefore, the agency is unable to estimate a fiscal impact. Additional specifics on which level of HITSP standards would be mandated (for example recognized, accepted, released or all three) would help clarify the impact. In addition, it is unclear whether HHSC would be required to ensure HITSP compliance by all Medicaid providers’ equipment.
Due to these factors, it is assumed that additional HIT used in Medicaid and CHIP would only be implemented if it could be done so using existing resources. If the final adopted HITSP standards require significant changes to multiple systems, it is likely costs would be significant.
| Source Agencies: | 529 Health and Human Services Commission
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, CL, PP, MB
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