Enrolled Bill Summary

            Senate Bill 1156 amends current law and establishes additional provisions relating to the state Medicaid program. The bill authorizes the Health and Human Services Commission to transfer the administration of any portion of the state Medicaid program from a health and human services agency to the commission in order to reorganize the program. The bill establishes a Medicaid Legislative Oversight Committee to review and approve or reject any transfer the commission proposes. The bill establishes additional methods of improving budget certainty and cost savings of the program as well as additional budget reporting guidelines.

            The bill establishes that Medicaid eligibility and enrollment policies are designed to minimize the time an applicant or recipient must wait to receive benefits, sets steps to simplify the Texas Health Steps Program, and requires certain outreach efforts to promote enrollment in the Medicaid program. The bill also establishes certain pilot programs and demonstration studies in order to provide services to certain Medicaid participants.