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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T





SPONSOR: Hawkins DATE TYPED: 2/14/00 HB 399
SHORT TITLE: Establish Mortality Review Function SB
ANALYST: Esquibel


APPROPRIATION



Appropriation Contained
Estimated Additional Impact
Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY00 FY01 FY00 FY01
NA



(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)



Duplicates/Conflicts with/Companion to/Relates to



SOURCES OF INFORMATION



NM Health Policy Commission (HPC)

Attorney General's Office (AG)

Department of Health (DOH)



SUMMARY



Synopsis of Bill



The bill would require DOH to establish a mortality review committee to conduct professional reviews of deaths of persons receiving services from contractors of the department; would authorize DOH to inspect and obtain copies of all medical records and other documents pertaining thereto; and would immunize the review activity under the Review Organization Immunity Act.



Significant Issues



HPC indicates:



TECHNICAL ISSUES



HPC suggests specifying protection from the Inspection of Public Records Act, and establishing limits on authority in terms of time relation to receipt of services from a DOH contractor and death directly related to services received from a contractor.



DOH suggests on page 5, lines 5-6, at the end of the underlined material, a comma should be inserted after the word "reviews".



RAE/njw