LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 82ND LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 24, 2011

TO:	Honorable Harold V. Dutton Jr., Chair, House Committee on Urban Affairs
FROM:	John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB3753 by King, Phil ( relating to the employment of physicians by certain municipal hospital authorities.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend the Health and Safety Code to authorize an authority created by the governing body of a municipality with a population of less than 10,000 and that owns or operates a hospital with more than 50 licensed beds.

The board of an authority would be authorized to employ a physician and retain all or part of the professional income generated by the physician for medical services provided at the hospital or other health care facility owned or operated by the authority if certain requirements are met. The chief medical officer would be required to notify the Texas Medical Board that the board is employing physicians under this section and to immediately report any action or event that the chief medical officer reasonably and in good faith believes constitutes a compromise of the independent medical judgment of a physician in caring for a patient.

Local Government Impact

There would be a significant positive fiscal impact to the applicable hospitals or health care facilities under the provisions of the bill; however, those amounts would vary depending on the number of physicians hired and the services provided.

Source Agencies:

LBB Staff:

JOB, KKR, TP, CL