Bill

SB 1385

84(R) - 2015
Senate Health & Human Services
Senate Health & Human Services
Health & Human Services
Oversight
Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Vote Recommendation

Yes
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Neutral
  • Positive
  • Neutral

Author(s)

Charles Schwertner

Bill Caption

Relating to the authorization of the imposition of administrative penalties on providers participating in certain Medicaid waiver programs.

Fiscal Notes

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Bill Analysis

Current law authorizes the Department of Aging and Disability Services (DADS) to assess and levy administrative penalties on Medicaid waiver programs. DADS may currently impose two sanctions for contract non-compliance: a vendor hold or contract termination.

 

This legislation would authorize DADS to enforce an intermediate sanction that is stronger than a vendor hold but not as severe as a contract termination. 

Vote Recommendation Notes

The purpose of the legislation is to increase accountability measures being imposed on providers who are providing services to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Establishing a remedial action for circumstances in which a contract termination is too egregious to address a provider’s noncompliance fits within our view of a legitimate role of government. This allows for a level of consequence for non-compliance that may be more proportional to the violation than contract termination. We support SB 1385 because it protects the health and safety of individuals who have entrusted their care to providers, and holds non-compliant actors accountable without going farther than necessary to do so.