Honorable Lois W. Kolkhorst, Chair, Senate Committee on Health & Human Services
FROM:
Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HB617 by Darby (Relating to a pilot project to provide emergency telemedicine medical services and telehealth services in rural areas.), As Engrossed
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB617, As Engrossed : an impact of $0 through the biennium ending August 31, 2025.
General Revenue-Related Funds, Five- Year Impact:
Fiscal Year
Probable Net Positive/(Negative) Impact to General Revenue Related Funds
2024
$0
2025
$0
2026
$0
2027
$0
2028
$0
All Funds, Five-Year Impact:
Fiscal Year
Probable Savings/(Cost) from Comm State Emer Comm Acct 5007
2024
($250,000)
2025
($250,000)
2026
($250,000)
2027
($250,000)
2028
($250,000)
Fiscal Analysis
The bill would amend the Health and Safety Code to provide statutory authorization for a telehealth services pilot project to be jointly administered by the Commission on State Emergency Communications (CSEC) and Texas Tech Health Sciences Center (TTHSC) for the purpose of providing telehealth services in rural areas through TTHSC.
The bill would add the pilot project to a list of allowable uses for the equalization surcharge imposed on certain telephone accounts and deposited to General Revenue-Dedicated Commission on State Emergency Communications Account No. 5007.
Statutory authorization for the pilot project would expire September 1, 2029.
Methodology
According to CSEC, the cost of operating a previous, similar telehealth pilot program with TTHSC was approximately $250,000 per year. This analysis assumes that the operation of this pilot program would require funding similar in scope to that of the previous program and require funding out of General Revenue-Dedicated Commission on State Emergency Communication Account 5007.
Local Government Impact
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
477 Commission on State Emergency Communications, 768 Texas Tech University System Administration