HBA-JEK H.B. 1182 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1182 By: Capelo Public Health 3/1/2001 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The outreach efforts of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) have resulted in the enrollment of many children in the program. Many of the individuals and families that qualify for Medicaid assistance are either unaware of their eligibility or do not know how to enroll in Medicaid. House Bill 1182 requires the Health and Human Services Commission to conduct an outreach program modeled after the CHIP outreach program to promote the enrollment of eligible children and adults in Medicaid. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 1182 amends the Government Code to require the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to conduct a community outreach campaign (Medicaid campaign) to provide information relating to the availability of Medicaid coverage for children and adults and to promote the enrollment of eligible children and adults in Medicaid. H.B. 1182 requires HHSC to inform potential Medicaid recipients of its toll-free assistance telephone number and to contract with community-based organizations for assistance in implementing the Medicaid campaign. The bill also requires HHSC to include components in the Medicaid campaign that are similar to the components of its community outreach campaign for the state child health plan. To the extent that it is feasible and appropriate, the bill authorizes HHSC to combine the Medicaid campaign with any other state outreach campaign or educational activity related to health care and available health care coverage. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.