By Naishtat                                           H.B. No. 3636
         76R6049 KLA-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to providing dental services to certain recipients of
 1-3     medical assistance.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 32.024, Human Resources Code, is amended
 1-6     by adding Subsection (v) to read as follows:
 1-7           (v)  The department shall provide dental services annually to
 1-8     a resident of a nursing facility who is a recipient of medical
 1-9     assistance under  this chapter.  The dental services must include:
1-10                 (1)  a routine dental examination and cleaning; and
1-11                 (2)  diagnostic dental x-rays.
1-12           SECTION 2.  The Texas Department of Human Services, in
1-13     cooperation with the Health and Human Services Commission, shall by
1-14     rule develop a fee schedule for dental services provided under
1-15     Section 32.024(v), Human Resources Code, as added by this Act.
1-16           SECTION 3.  (a)  The Health and Human Services Commission
1-17     shall conduct a study regarding the need for and cost of expanding
1-18     the dental services provided under Section 32.024(v), Human
1-19     Resources Code, as added by this Act.
1-20           (b)  Not later than December 1, 2000, the commissioner of
1-21     health and human services shall report to the governor, lieutenant
1-22     governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and the
1-23     presiding officers of the standing committees of the senate and of
1-24     the house of representatives having primary jurisdiction over the
 2-1     commission the results of the study, including an analysis of the
 2-2     costs, benefits, and feasibility of expanding dental services
 2-3     provided under Section 32.024(v), Human Resources Code, as added by
 2-4     this Act.
 2-5           SECTION 4.  If before implementing any provision of this Act
 2-6     a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a
 2-7     federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,
 2-8     the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or
 2-9     authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the
2-10     waiver or authorization is granted.
2-11           SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-12           SECTION 6.  The importance of this legislation and the
2-13     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-14     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-15     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-16     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.