BILL ANALYSIS


                                                         H.B. 997
                                      By: Cuellar, H. (Zaffirini)
                                        Health and Human Services
                                                         05-04-95
                              Senate Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND

Children not covered by Medicaid often do not receive adequate
medical care.  At the same time that parental resources exclude
these children from qualifying for Medicaid, the families often are
too poor to afford to visit a doctor.

PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 997 requires the Texas Department of Health to
establish a pilot program to provide primary care health insurance
coverage for children younger than 13 years of age who are
ineligible for medical assistance under the state's Medicaid
program.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is granted
to the Texas Department of Health under SECTION 1(c) of this bill.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. PILOT PROGRAM.  (a) Requires the Texas Department of
Health (department) to establish a pilot program to provide primary
care health insurance coverage for children younger than 13 years
of age who are ineligible for medical assistance under the state's
Medicaid program.

     (b) Authorizes the department to provide the program through
     local public schools and to use the Florida "Healthy Kids
     Corporation" as a model.
     
     (c) Requires the department, by rule, to prescribe eligibility
     criteria and set a sliding fee scale based on a family's
     income.
     
     (d) Requires the department to report to the governor and the
     74th and 75th legislatures regarding the program's success.
     
     (e) Requires the department to implement and determine
     eligibility for the pilot program through Texas Department of
     Human Services eligibility offices.
     
     (f) Authorizes the state Medicaid program to develop a waiver
     for a pilot program in one area of the state that would
     provide access to health insurance for children whose parents
     do not have access to private health insurance by using
     existing federal, state, or local funds as well as private
     funds.  Requires the pilot program to include sliding scale
     cost-sharing by the family, and to not include any new state
     funds.
     
     SECTION 2.     (a) Effective date: September 1, 1995.

     (b) Provides that this Act expires September 1, 1995.
     
     (c) Requires the department, if before implementing Section 1
     of this Act the department determines that a waiver or
     authorization from a federal agency is necessary for
     implementation, to request the waiver or authorization, and
     may delay implementing this Act until the waiver or
     authorization is granted.
     
     SECTION 3.     Emergency clause.