Honorable Myra Crownover, Chair, House Committee on Public Health
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB3519 by Guerra (Relating to the use of home telemonitoring services under the Medicaid program.), As Introduced
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill requires the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to determine what conditions qualify for telemonitoring services based on cost-effectiveness and feasibility, rather than reimbursing only for conditions listed in statute. HHSC may conduct pilot projects to collect evidence regarding the effectiveness of using home telemonitoring services to monitor certain conditions. In addition, the bill extends home telemonitoring medical reimbursement through 2021.
HHSC indicates it already uses evidence-based research to determine conditions which can be managed through telemonitoring and will continue to do so, and therefore the primary impact of this bill is to extend the existing benefit. HHSC must amend contracts to change the expiration date of the home telemonitoring benefit from September 1, 2015 to September 1, 2021. HHSC indicates that any costs associated with the bill could be absorbed within the agency's existing resources.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.