Local Health Department funding - Senate Bill 2021

The Houston Health Department (HHD) has been planning for how to pay for health department services as part of the Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) 1115 Waiver state Transition Plan. Our goal is to make sure that Local Health Departments (LHDs) remain a vital part of the healthcare delivery system and continue to contribute to the improving health of our local community and the state.

Across Texas, 21 local health departments (LHD) participate in the DSRIP 1115 Waiver with tremendous success. Since the waiver program started, 500,827 Texans have received clinical, immunizations, or other services at local health departments. Of this total, 74.78% (374,517) are either Medicaid recipients, low-income, or uninsured.

These public health services are designed to prevent higher cost interventions, address and promote public health and safety and ensure population level health improvements across the state. Services include, but are not limited to:

1. Immunization (Clinical Services/Administration)
2. Sexually Transmitted Diseases identification, diagnosis and treatment
3. School and community-based programming (Vision services, etc.)
4. Environmental Health Services
5. Tuberculosis identification, diagnosis and treatment
6. Chronic disease (screening, monitoring and self-management)
7. Dental care
8. Care Transition programs
9. Enhanced services (Care Coordination, Telehealth, Home visitation, Reminder Recall, Health Education, Provider Technical Assistance, Super utilizer services)

Senate Bill 2021 by Senator Borris Miles would provide a solution that would require Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) to update their contracts and panels to include local health departments as a provider type that can seek payments just like other providers.

Senate Bill 2021 instructs Health & Human Services Commission to establish a designated provider type for Local Health Departments (LHD) that Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) are required to recognize for reimbursement.

Senator Miles was able to pass the bill out unanimously from the Senate. Carried by Rep. Rick Miller in the House, the bill was voted out favorably from the House Human Services Committee. SB 2021 was set late on the Calendar during the closing days of session, however Rep. Miller was able to amend the bill on to Senate Bill 1105, which passed the House. However, the bill authors were not able to agree on a conference committee report and the bill died.