| TO: | Honorable Joe Straus, Speaker of the House, House of Representatives |
| FROM: | John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB2636 by Kolkhorst (Relating to a council to study neonatal intensive care units.), As Passed 2nd House |
The bill would direct the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission to create and appoint the members of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Council to study and make recommendations regarding neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) operating standards and reimbursement through the Medicaid program. The bill would direct the council to develop standards for operating a NICU, develop an accreditation process, and study and make recommendations regarding best practices and protocols to lower admissions to NICUs. The bill would authorize the council to accept gifts and grants from any source but would not authorize compensation or reimbursement of expenses for a member of the council.
The bill would require the council to submit a report to the executive commissioner, the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the chairs of the appropriate legislative committees on its findings and recommendations.
The bill would require the executive commissioner to appoint the members of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Council no later than December 1, 2011.
The bill would take effect September 1, 2011.
This analysis assumes the Health and Human Services Commission could implement the provisions of the bill by utilizing existing agency resources.
| Source Agencies: | 529 Health and Human Services Commission
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| LBB Staff: | JOB, SD, ES, CL, MB, VJC
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