| TO: | Honorable Gary Elkins, Chair, House Committee on Technology |
| FROM: | Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB2939 by Zerwas (Relating to the interoperability of and standards for information systems of the Health and Human Services Commission and health and human services agencies for sending and receiving protected health information.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted |
The bill would amend Chapter 531 of the Government Code to require the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to ensure that information systems at all health and human services agencies that send or receive protected health information are capable of sending and receiving the information in accordance with applicable data exchange standards. The bill would require HHSC and each health and human services agency to establish an interoperability standards plan for information systems that exchange protected health information with health care providers. The bill would require the executive commissioner to submit a report on December 1 of each even-numbered year about the agencies' progress toward achieving interoperability and meeting standards. The bill would take effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house. Otherwise, the bill would take effect September 1, 2013.
HHSC, on behalf of all of the health and human services agencies, indicates there would be a significant impact to implement the provisions of the bill, but a specific estimate cannot be provided because it is unclear what standards, requirements, and plans would be created to meet the requirements of the bill.
| Source Agencies: | 529 Health and Human Services Commission, 530 Family and Protective Services, Department of, 537 State Health Services, Department of, 539 Aging and Disability Services, Department of, 538 Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, Department of
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| LBB Staff: | UP, RB, MB, ES, VJC
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