SRC-MKV S.B. 812 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 812 77R3202 SGA-DBy: Carona Health & Human Services 2/23/2001 As Filed DIGEST AND PURPOSE Currently in Texas, women seeking preventative health and family services who are Medicaid clients are only eligible if they are living at or below 17 percent of the federal poverty level. There are 1.5 million uninsured women in Texas, and 1 million are living at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level. S.B. 812 requires the Health and Human Services Commission to create a Medicaid waiver expanding eligibility to women living at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level for preventative health and family planning services. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 32.024, Human Resources Code, by adding Subsection (x), to require the Health and Human Services Commission or an agency operating part of the medical assistance program (department) to set the income eligibility cap for medical assistance at 185 percent of the federal poverty level for preventive health and family planning services for women. SECTION 2. Amends Chapter 32B, Human Resources Code, by adding Section 32.0247, as follows: Sec. 32.0247. IDENTIFICATION OF OTHER FUNDING SOURCES FOR CLIENTS OF MEDICAL ASSISTANCE. Requires the department to compile a list of potential funding sources a client can use to help pay for treatment for health problems identified using preventive health services provided to the client under the medical assistance program and for which the client is not eligible to receive treatment under the program. SECTION 3. Requires that, if before implementing any provision of this Act a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a federal agency is necessary for implementation, the state agency request the waiver or authorization and authorizes the delay of implementation of that provision until the waiver or authorization is granted. SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2001.