Honorable Myra Crownover, Chair, House Committee on Public Health
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB179 by Zedler (Relating to the investigation and resolution of complaints filed against physicians.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB179, Committee Report 1st House, Substituted: an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2017.
The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.
Fiscal Year
Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2016
$0
2017
$0
2018
$0
2019
$0
2020
$0
Fiscal Year
Probable (Cost) from General Revenue Fund 1
Probable Revenue Gain from General Revenue Fund 1
Change in Number of State Employees from FY 2015
2016
($111,862)
$111,862
1.0
2017
($102,172)
$102,172
1.0
2018
($102,172)
$102,172
1.0
2019
($102,172)
$102,172
1.0
2020
($102,172)
$102,172
1.0
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend the Occupations Code relating to the investigation and resolution of complaints filed against physicians. The bill would require the Texas Medical Board to provide a redacted copy of complaints levied against physicians. The bill also requires a physician expert reviewing the complaint to be specialized in the same field of medicine as the physician receiving the complaint.
The bill would take effect September 1, 2015.
Methodology
According to information provided by the Texas Medical Board (TMB), the agency estimates that the increased workload from the bill's requirement of delivering redacted copies of complaints against physicians would require the authority and General Revenue funding for one full-time equivalent (FTE) Administrative Assistant III (1.0 FTE at $31,500 each fiscal year). The benefits costs for the FTE are estimated to be $10,672 each fiscal year. One-time startup costs including the purchase of information technology are estimated to be $9,690 in fiscal year 2016 only. Professional services costs for hiring of professional expert witness reviewers in specializations with no available physician experts are estimated to be $60,000 each fiscal year ($150 rate difference for professional expert review x 400 estimated cases each fiscal year).
This analysis assumes that TMB, which is statutorily required to generate revenues sufficient to cover appropriations, will increase revenues to cover costs of implementing the provisions of the bill.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
360 State Office of Administrative Hearings, 503 Texas Medical Board