Texas House Bill HB4330

Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Caption

Relating to the creation and operations of a health care provider participation program by the Tarrant County Hospital District.

Impact

If enacted, HB 4330 will impact the financial structure and operations of the Tarrant County Hospital District, primarily concerning Medicaid funding. The mandatory payments collected under this program are intended to support various health care services without raising general revenue. The collected funds will contribute to intergovernmental transfers for Medicaid payments such as uncompensated care payments to nonpublic hospitals. This targeted approach is expected to alleviate some of the burden on the district in managing healthcare costs and improving service delivery to local residents.

Summary

House Bill 4330 establishes a health care provider participation program specifically for the Tarrant County Hospital District. The bill allows the district's board to authorize participation in the program, which includes collecting mandatory payments from institutional health care providers located within the district. The aim is to fund the nonfederal share of Medicaid supplemental payments and to enhance the quality of health care services provided to residents. This legislation is particularly pertinent to hospitals offering inpatient services, which are defined as institutional health care providers under the bill.

Contention

While the bill garnered unanimous support during voting, discussions around it may center on the authority of local hospital districts to levy mandatory payments without causing financial strain on health care providers. Critics may raise concerns regarding the equity of assessing fees on providers, particularly smaller hospitals, which might be disproportionately affected. Overall, the debate could revolve around balancing financial sustainability for the district while ensuring comprehensive access to health care for all residents in the community.