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.
         _______________________________     _______________________________
             President of the Senate              Speaker of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 897 was passed by the House on April
         27, 1999, by a non-record vote.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Chief Clerk of the House
               I certify that H.B. No. 897 was passed by the Senate on May
         20, 1999, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0.
                                             _______________________________
                                                 Secretary of the Senate
         APPROVED:  _____________________
                            Date
                    _____________________
                          Governor