LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 83RD LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

April 15, 2013

TO:	Honorable Jane Nelson, Chair, Senate Committee on Health & Human Services
FROM:	Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	SB830 by Schwertner (Relating to use of telemedicine in certain trauma facilities.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would authorize a health care facility located in a county with a population of less than 50,000 to satisfy a level IV trauma facility designation requirement by utilization of an on-call physician to provide medical care to patients through telemedicine medical services. The bill would prohibit rules from requiring the physical presence or physical availability of the critical-care specialty physician at the facility for designation of the facility as a level IV trauma facility. The bill would require the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission to adopt rules.

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 anticipates needing to promulgate and adopt rules and to conduct new procurements or amend contracts with managed care organizations to implement the provisions of the bill. HHSC indicates any additional work resulting from the passage of the bill could be reasonably absorbed within current resources.

Local Government Impact

Local governments operating facilities meeting the designation requirement and located in counties with population less than 50,000 may have closer access to emergency trauma and intensive care services, leading to reduced mileage for ground ambulance transports and reduced number of emergency air transports.

Source Agencies:

529 Health and Human Services Commission

LBB Staff:

UP, ES, KKR, CL, VJC