BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 3152 By: Torres County Affairs Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Nueces County Hospital District is required to provide medical aid and hospital care to indigent and needy persons residing in the district and uses local tax funds to treat such enrollees. Under current law, hospital districts may adopt procedures to prevent and detect fraud in their indigent care programs and are allowed to disqualify persons from these programs in cases where fraud appears to exist. According to some interested parties, the purpose of such law is to address fraud involving the misrepresentation of applicant information, including residency, income, and resources. Due to the high number of health care uninsured in Nueces County and other factors, the district continues to experience increasing demand for district-funded indigent care services, as well as numerous attempts and acts associated with gaining such services by fraudulent means. The district has a duty to ensure that its local tax funds are spent on services that are not fraudulently obtained and to seek recovery for services gained in such a manner. H.B. 3152 seeks to address these issues by establishing provisions relating to the recovery of the value of fraudulently obtained health care services provided or paid by the district. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS H.B. 3152 amends the Health and Safety Code to authorize the Nueces County Hospital District to recover an amount equal to the value of any fraudulently obtained health care services provided or paid to a person disqualified under Indigent Health Care and Treatment Act provisions relating to the prevention and detection of fraud. EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2011.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
H.B. 3152
By: Torres
County Affairs
Committee Report (Unamended)
H.B. 3152
By: Torres
County Affairs
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Nueces County Hospital District is required to provide medical aid and hospital care to indigent and needy persons residing in the district and uses local tax funds to treat such enrollees. Under current law, hospital districts may adopt procedures to prevent and detect fraud in their indigent care programs and are allowed to disqualify persons from these programs in cases where fraud appears to exist. According to some interested parties, the purpose of such law is to address fraud involving the misrepresentation of applicant information, including residency, income, and resources. Due to the high number of health care uninsured in Nueces County and other factors, the district continues to experience increasing demand for district-funded indigent care services, as well as numerous attempts and acts associated with gaining such services by fraudulent means. The district has a duty to ensure that its local tax funds are spent on services that are not fraudulently obtained and to seek recovery for services gained in such a manner. H.B. 3152 seeks to address these issues by establishing provisions relating to the recovery of the value of fraudulently obtained health care services provided or paid by the district.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS H.B. 3152 amends the Health and Safety Code to authorize the Nueces County Hospital District to recover an amount equal to the value of any fraudulently obtained health care services provided or paid to a person disqualified under Indigent Health Care and Treatment Act provisions relating to the prevention and detection of fraud.
EFFECTIVE DATE On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2011.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
The Nueces County Hospital District is required to provide medical aid and hospital care to indigent and needy persons residing in the district and uses local tax funds to treat such enrollees. Under current law, hospital districts may adopt procedures to prevent and detect fraud in their indigent care programs and are allowed to disqualify persons from these programs in cases where fraud appears to exist. According to some interested parties, the purpose of such law is to address fraud involving the misrepresentation of applicant information, including residency, income, and resources.
Due to the high number of health care uninsured in Nueces County and other factors, the district continues to experience increasing demand for district-funded indigent care services, as well as numerous attempts and acts associated with gaining such services by fraudulent means. The district has a duty to ensure that its local tax funds are spent on services that are not fraudulently obtained and to seek recovery for services gained in such a manner.
H.B. 3152 seeks to address these issues by establishing provisions relating to the recovery of the value of fraudulently obtained health care services provided or paid by the district.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
H.B. 3152 amends the Health and Safety Code to authorize the Nueces County Hospital District to recover an amount equal to the value of any fraudulently obtained health care services provided or paid to a person disqualified under Indigent Health Care and Treatment Act provisions relating to the prevention and detection of fraud.
EFFECTIVE DATE
On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2011.