Fiscal Note - SB 0405 - Eliminates the Statutory Charge Set For Copying Medical Records
L.R. NO. 1596-01
BILL NO. SB 405
SUBJECT: Health Care
TYPE: Original
DATE: March 24, 1997
FISCAL SUMMARY
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON STATE FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED FY 1998 FY 1999 FY 2000
General Revenue (UNKNOWN) (UNKNOWN) (UNKNOWN)
Total Estimated
Net Effect on All
State Funds (UNKNOWN) (UNKNOWN) (UNKNOWN)
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON FEDERAL FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED FY 1998 FY 1999 FY 2000
None
Total Estimated
Net Effect on All
Federal Funds $0 $0 $0
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON LOCAL FUNDS
FUND AFFECTED FY 1998 FY 1999 FY 2000
Local Government $0 $0 $0
FISCAL ANALYSIS
ASSUMPTION
Officials from the Office of Administration, the Department of Conservation,
the Department of Transportation, the Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan,
the Department of Health, the Department of Mental Health, and the Department
of Social Services assume this proposal would not fiscally impact their
agencies.
Department of Corrections (DOC) officials state that DOC currently receives
approximately thirty-one requests per day to copy medical records. DOC
states that a majority of these requests are forwarded to DOC's contractor
for medical services. DOC further states that reimbursements for these
copies of medical records are collected and paid to the contractor. DOC
assumes that this proposal would eliminate the statutory charge for copying
medical records and would require medical providers to provide certain copies
free of charge. DOC states that if DOC's medical services contractor must
provide these copies free of charge, DOC assumes that the cost for inmate
medical services would increase.
DOC assumes that requests would only occur Monday through Friday and the
annual number of requests would be 8,060 (260 days x 31 requests per day)
with an average of 100 pages per record. DOC states that if the contractor
is reimbursed per the current statute for a handling fee of fifteen dollars
plus thirty-five cents per page to persons requesting copies of medical
records, the projected administrative costs to the contractor would be
$403,000 (8,060 requests x $15 handling fee + 8,060 requests x 100 pages x
$.35 per page). DOC assumes that these administrative costs incurred by the
contractor would be passed on to DOC through a higher medical per diem. DOC
states that at this time it is unknown to what extent the additional
administrative costs incurred by the contractor would impact the cost of
inmate medical services.
FISCAL IMPACT - State Government FY 1998 FY 1999 FY 2000
(10 Mo.)
GENERAL REVENUE FUND
Costs - Department of Corrections
Increase in medical per diem (UNKNOWN) (UNKNOWN) (UNKNOWN)
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON
GENERAL REVENUE FUND (UNKNOWN) (UNKNOWN) (UNKNOWN)
FISCAL IMPACT - Local Government FY 1998 FY 1999 FY 2000
(10 Mo.)
$0 $0 $0
FISCAL IMPACT - Small Business
Small businesses would be expected to be fiscally impacted to the extent that
they would incur less administrative costs due to the requirements of this
proposal.
DESCRIPTION
This proposal would remove a provision in current law which sets the rate
which may be charged for medical records: fifteen dollars plus thirty-five
cents per page.
This legislation is not federally mandated, would not duplicate any other
program and would not require additional capital improvements or rental
space.
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Department of Health
Department of Mental Health
Department of Social Services
Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan
Department of Corrections
Office of Administration
Department of Transportation
Department of Public Safety
Missouri State Highway Patrol
This Fiscal Note is not an official copy and should not be quoted or cited.