RESPIRATORY THERAPISTS: REGISTRATION - H.B. 5986 (S-2): FLOOR ANALYSIS

House Bill 5986 (Substitute S-2 as reported)

Sponsor: Representative Gerald Law

House Committee: Health Policy

Senate Committee: Health Policy and Senior Citizens

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Public Health Code to provide for the registration of respiratory therapists (individuals who, under the direction and supervision of a physician, were responsible for providing certain patient care services to people with disorders and diseases of the cardiopulmonary system, as diagnosed by a physician). The bill would establish an application processing fee of $20 and an annual registration fee of $75.

The Michigan Board of Medicine would have to serve as the governing board for registered respiratory therapists, and adopt all of the following requirements in promulgating rules for registration:

-- Successful completion of an accredited respiratory therapist training program.

-- At least a two-year associate's degree from an accredited college or university.

-- The credential conferred by the National Board for Respiratory Care or its successor organization as a registered respiratory therapist or its successor credential.

The Board of Medicine also would have to prescribe continuing education requirements as a condition of registration renewal.

The bill is tie-barred to House Bills 5736 and 5737, which provide that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Michigan and an employer would not be required to reimburse for services performed by a profession licensed or registered after January 1, 1998.

MCL 333.16263 et al. - Legislative Analyst: S. Lowe

FISCAL IMPACT

The bill would require the Department of Consumer and Industry Services to administer this new program and to collect a $20 application fee and a $75 registration fee to offset the additional costs the Department would incur. It is difficult to determine the total amount of revenues that would be collected through these fees, however, as there is no information available on the number of respiratory therapists in the State. According to the Department, the proposed fee structure should be adequate to offset the cost of implementing and administering this new program; therefore, the fiscal impact should be minimal.

Date Completed: 11-19-98 - Fiscal Analyst: M. Tyszkiewiczfloor\hb5986 - Analysis available @ http://www.michiganlegislature.org

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.