Honorable Richard Peña Raymond, Chair, House Committee on Human Services
FROM:
Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB2752 by Raymond (Relating to the participation of speech-language pathologists as providers under the Medicaid program.), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
The bill would require the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to ensure that Medicaid recipients may select a licensed speech-language pathologist to provide any service covered under Medicaid, which the pathologist is authorized to perform. HHSC would be required to ensure that certain licensed speech-language pathologists may enroll in Medicaid as independent practice providers or as a group practice provider. Once enrolled in Medicaid, these providers would be permitted to serve all Medicaid recipients without being limited to participation in the Texas Health Steps Comprehensive Care Program (CCP). The bill would not authorize a provider to provide speech-language pathology services as home health services without an appropriate license under Health and Safety Code §142.002.
According to HHSC, there would be a one-time technology cost to add a new provider type for those providers who choose not to limit their participation to CCP. It is assumed that the cost can be absorbed within HHSC's existing resources.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.