Yesterday, the Texas Senate passed and sent down to the House of Representatives Senate Bill 207, the bill setting out much needed reforms to the Health and Human Services Commission Office of Inspector General that came out of the Sunset Advisory Commission hearings last December. The bill had ten amendments on the Senate floor and then was passed 30-0. The bill will provide more due process protection and deadlines for providers dealing with OIG.
New bill backs up complaints from Medicaid providers
Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa authored the bill and told the Austin American Statesman, “We verified a lot of the complaints we received from the public and from health care providers” on due process problems. An article on the passing of the bill in the San Angelo press credits Medicaid dental providers with providing the impetus for the changes.
The text of the bill as it now stands can be downloaded here.
TDMR will be making a detailed analysis of the final bill and what it means to providers once it passes the House and is on its way to the Governor’s desk for signing.