MINUTES
SENATE INTERIM COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Friday, May 29, 1998
9 a.m.
Senate Chamber
*****
Pursuant to a notice posted in accordance with Senate Rule
11.11, a public hearing of the Senate Interim Committee on
Health and Human Services was held on Friday, May 29, 1998, in
the Senate Chamber at Austin, Texas.
*****
MEMBERS PRESENT: MEMBERS ABSENT:
Senator Judith Zaffirini, Chair Senator Chris Harris
Senator John Carona Senator Jon Lindsay
Senator Frank Madla
*****
The chair called the meeting to order at 9 a.m. There being a
quorum present, the following business was transacted.
The chair laid out the October 7, 1997, and the January 22,
1998, minutes and called for revisions. There being none,
Senator Madla moved approval. There being no objection, the
motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
The chair made opening remarks and announced that the purpose
of the meeting was to receive progress reports and preliminary
recommendations regarding the charges issued to the committee
by Lt. Gov. Bob Bullock.
The chair called invited panelists to present progress reports
and preliminary recommendations regarding the implementation
of SB 30 by Sen. Judith Zaffirini and Rep. Glen Maxey,
relating to fraud and improper payments under the state
Medicaid program.
The following person provided oral and written testimony:
Don Gilbert, commissioner, Texas Health and Human
Services Commission, 4900 North Lamar, Austin, Texas
78751.
The following persons provided oral testimony:
Beth Taylor, director, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit,
Office of the Attorney General, P.O. Box 12548, Austin,
Texas 78711-25548.
Eric Bost, commissioner, Texas Department of Human
Services, P.O. Box 149030, Austin, Texas 78714-3011.
The chair called the following person who registered as a
resource witness on SB 30 to provide oral testimony:
Aurora F. LeBrun, associate commissioner, Office of
Investigations and Enforcement, Texas Health and Human
Services Commission, 4900 N. Lamar, Austin, Texas 78751.
The following person registered as a resource witness on SB
30, but did not testify:
Randy Washington, deputy commissioner for health care
financing, Texas Department of Health, 1100 West 49th
Street, Austin, Texas 78756.
The chair called invited panelists to present progress reports
and preliminary recommendations regarding efforts to reduce
fraud and improper payments under state Medicaid and welfare
programs.
The following persons provided oral testimony:
Beth Taylor, director, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit,
Office of the Attorney General, P.O. Box 12548, Austin,
Texas 78711-2548.
Don Gilbert, commissioner, Texas Health and Human
Services Commission, 4900 North Lamar, Austin, Texas
78751.
Eric Bost, commissioner, Texas Department of Human
Services, P.O. Box 149030, Austin, Texas 78714-3011.
Dr. William Archer, commissioner, Texas Department of
Health, 1100 West 49th Street, Austin, Texas 78757.
The chair called the following person who registered as a
resource witness on Medicaid and welfare fraud to provide oral
testimony:
Aurora F. LeBrun, associate commissioner, Office of
Investigations and Enforcement, Texas Health and Human
Services Commission, 4900 N. Lamar, Austin, Texas 78751.
The following person registered as a resource witness on
Medicaid and welfare fraud, but did not testify:
Randy Washington, deputy commissioner for health care
financing, Texas Department of Health, 1100 West 49th
Street, Austin, Texas 78756.
The chair called invited panelists to present progress reports
and preliminary recommendations regarding federal welfare
reform.
The following person provided oral and written testimony:
Diane Rath, commissioner, Texas Workforce Commission, 101
East 15th Street, Austin, Texas 78778-0001.
The following persons provided oral testimony:
Eric Bost, commissioner, Texas Department of Human
Services, P.O. Box 149030, Austin, Texas 78714-3011.
Jorge Vega, first assistant attorney general, Office of
the Attorney General, P.O. Box 12548, Austin, Texas
78711-2548.
The chair called invited panelists to present progress reports
and preliminary recommendations regarding implementation of SB
55 by Sen. Judith Zaffirini and Rep. Hugo Berlanga, relating
to minors' access to tobacco.
The following persons provided oral testimony:
Dr. William Archer, commissioner, Texas Department of
Health, 1100 West 49th Street, Austin, Texas 78757.
Robin Herskowitz, senior policy analyst, Comptroller of
Public Accounts, 111 East 17th Street, Austin, Texas
78711-3528.
The following person registered as a resource witness on SB
55, but did not testify:
Phil Huang, MD, chief, Bureau of Chronic Disease, Texas
Department of Health, 1100 West 49th Street, Austin,
Texas 78756.
The chair called invited panelists to present progress reports
regarding developments in the federal tobacco settlement.
The following person provided oral and written testimony:
Laurie M. Rich, executive director, Texas Office of
State-Federal Relations, 122 C. Street, N.W., Suite 200,
Washington, DC 20001.
The chair called invited panelists to present progress reports
regarding demographic trends of Texas that will impact the
health and human services delivery system in the future.
The following person provided oral and written testimony:
Arturo Hernandez, deputy for programs, Texas Commission
on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, 9001 N. IH 35, Suite 105,
Austin, Texas 78753.
The following persons provided oral testimony:
Jim Hine, executive director, Texas Department of
Protective and Regulatory Services,
P.O. Box 149030, Austin, Texas 78714-9030.
Eric Bost, commissioner, Texas Department of Human
Services, P.O. Box 149030, Austin, Texas 78714-3011.
Dr. William Archer, commissioner, Texas Department of
Health, 1100 West 49th Street, Austin, Texas 78757.
The chair called invited panelists to present progress reports
and preliminary recommendations regarding current practices in
patient billing by Texas hospitals and providers of health
care to evaluate the accuracy, clarity and timeliness of
patient billing.
The following person provided oral and written testimony:
Dr. Bruce Levy, chair, Health Professions Council, and
executive director, Texas State Board of Medical
Examiners, 333 Guadalupe, Tower III, Suite 610, Austin,
Texas 78768-2018.
The following persons provided oral testimony:
Phillip A. Caron, chief financial officer, United
Regional Health Care System, 1600 Tenth Street, Wichita
Falls, Texas 76301.
Roy Ray, PhD, legislative volunteer, American Association
of Retired Persons, P.O. Box 12786, Austin, Texas 78757.
John Evans, hospital licensing director, Health Facility
Licensing Division, Texas Department of Health, 1100 West
49th Street, Austin, Texas 78757.
Tony Cobos, legal counsel, Texas State Board of Medical
Examiners, 333 Guadalupe, Tower III, Suite 610, Austin,
Texas 78768-2018.
The chair called the following person who registered as a
public witness to provide testimony regarding current
practices in patient billing.
The following person provided oral testimony:
Paul B. Handel, president, Harris County Medical Society,
1213 Hermann, Houston, Texas 77004.
There being no other witnesses registered or responding to the
chair's call for public testimony related to the charges, the
chair closed public testimony.
The chair announced that anyone wishing to submit
recommendations relating to the charges must do so by June 30.
An extended staff working group will develop recommendations
to be considered by committee members for possible inclusion
in the committee's Oct. 1 report to Lt. Gov. Bullock.
With no other business to come before the committee and upon a
motion by Senator Carona, the chair recessed the committee by
unanimous consent at 12:45 p.m., subject to the call of the
chair.
Senator Judith Zaffirini, Chair
Monica D. Cruz, Committee Clerk