This bill amends the Health and Safety Code to expand the type of facilities that are subject to price disclosure requirements. This bill takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house. Otherwise, this bill would take effect September 1, 2025.
The Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) assumes the implementation and ramp up of health care facility price transparency would need to begin in fiscal year 2026 to ensure facilities are in compliance with the provisions of this bill by fiscal year 2029 when compliance enforcement would begin. This analysis assumes HHSC could accomplish the implementation of the ramp up of health care facility price transparency using existing agency resources in fiscal years 2026-2028. This analysis assumes that HHSC would require $1,477,123 from the General Revenue Fund ($1,485,948 from All Funds) and 10.5 full-time-equivalents (FTEs) in fiscal year 2029 and $1,378,642 from the General Revenue Fund ($1,387,415 from All Funds) and 10.5 FTEs going forward to implement the compliance provisions of this bill.
According to the Comptroller of Public Accounts, the number of violations from the facilities added to this chapter that could be subject to an administrative penalty and the number of violations resulting from the new price disclosure deadline are unknown; therefore, the fiscal impact on the state cannot be estimated.
No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.