By Haggerty H.B. No. 897 76R11087 KLA-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to medical assistance payments for ambulance services. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Section 32.043, Human Resources Code, as added by 1-5 Chapter 1153, Acts of the 75th Legislature, Regular Session, 1997, 1-6 is amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: 1-7 (c) For an ambulance service provided to an individual who 1-8 is eligible under the medical assistance program and Medicare, the 1-9 medical assistance program shall pay the Medicare deductibles and 1-10 coinsurance. 1-11 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999, and 1-12 applies only to a medical assistance payment for ambulance services 1-13 that are provided on or after the effective date of this Act. 1-14 SECTION 3. If before implementing Section 32.043(c), Human 1-15 Resources Code, as added by this Act, the Health and Human Services 1-16 Commission determines that a waiver or authorization from a federal 1-17 agency is necessary for implementation, the commission shall 1-18 request the waiver or authorization and may authorize a delay in 1-19 implementing that provision until the waiver or authorization is 1-20 granted. 1-21 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 1-22 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-23 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-24 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-1 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.