| TO: | Honorable Tommy Williams, Chair, Senate Committee on Finance |
| FROM: | Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB1808 by Schwertner (Relating to the cost effects of expanding eligibility for medical assistance under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.), As Introduced |
The bill would add Section 32.02473 to Chapter 32 of the Human Resource Code, related to the cost effects of expanding eligibility for medical assistance under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). The bill would require that if the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) expanded medical assistance under the PPACA it would, in cooperation with the Comptroller of Public Accounts (CPA) and the Legislative Budget Board (LBB), conduct a study estimating the cost savings to both the state and hospital districts and the resulting appropriate reduction in hospital district tax rates. HHSC and the LBB would respectively ensure that the cost savings were reflected in subsequent legislative appropriation requests and proposed general appropriations bills. The study would be due on the first anniversary of the effective date of expanded eligibility.
It is anticipated that affected agencies would absorb the costs associated with implementing the study directed by the bill within current resources.
| Source Agencies: | 304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 529 Health and Human Services Commission
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| LBB Staff: | UP, KK, JTe, NB
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