HBA-NRS C.S.H.B. 2287 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 2287 By: Edwards Public Health 4/23/2001 Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Hospitals receive compensation for services rendered under the medical assistance program through a reimbursement fund. Attending physicians at such hospitals who provide medical services to patients covered for those services under the medical assistance program are offered little to no compensation and may be hesitant to treat such patients. C.S.H.B. 2287 authorizes a disproportionate share hospital to contract with physicians to provide medical services to indigent patients based on the hospital's indigent care eligibility criteria. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that rulemaking authority is expressly delegated to the Health and Human Services Commission in SECTION 1 (Sec. 531.055, Government Code) of this bill. ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 2287 amends the Government Code to require the Health and Human Services Commission by rule to provide a method by which a hospital designated as a disproportionate share hospital may contract with physicians to provide medical services to indigent patients based on the hospital's indigent care eligibility criteria. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE C.S.H.B. 2287 modifies the original bill to authorize disproportionate share hospitals to contract with physicians to provide medical services to indigent patients, rather than paying such physicians directly from reimbursements under the medical assistance program.