SRC-BWC C.S.S.B. 812 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 812 77R9634 SGA-DBy: Carona Health & Human Services 3-19-2001 Committee Report (Substituted) 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. C.S.S.B. 812 establishes a five-year demonstration project through the medical assistance program to expand access to preventive health and family planning services for woman. 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 Chapter 32B, Human Resources Code, by adding Section 32.0247, as follows: Sec. 32.0247. DEMONSTRATION PROJECT FOR WOMEN'S HEALTH CARE. Requires the Health and Human Services Commission or an agency operating part of the medical assistance program (department) to establish a five-year demonstration project through the medical assistance program to expand access to preventive health and family planning services for women. Authorizes a woman eligible under this section to participate in the demonstration project to receive certain preventive health and family planning services. Provides that a woman is eligible to participate in the demonstration project under certain circumstances. Requires the department to develop procedures for determining and certifying presumptive eligibility for a woman eligible under this section. Requires the department to integrate these procedures with current procedures to minimize duplication of effort by providers, the department, and other state agencies. Requires the department to provide for continuous eligibility for a woman eligible under this section for the duration of the demonstration project. Requires the department to compile a list of potential funding sources a client can use to help pay for treatment for certain health problems. Requires the department, not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year, to submit a report to the legislature regarding the department's progress in establishing and operating the demonstration project. Provides that this section expires September 1, 2006. SECTION 2. Requires the state agency responsible for implementing the demonstration project required by Section 32.0247, Human Resources Code, as added by this Act, to request and actively pursue any necessary waivers or authorizations from the Health Care Financing Administration or other appropriate entities to enable the agency to implement the demonstration project not later than September 1, 2002. Authorizes the agency to delay implementing the demonstration project until the necessary waivers or authorizations are granted. SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001. SUMMARY OF COMMITTEE CHANGES SECTION 1. Deletes proposed SECTION 1 and adds new text regarding a demonstration project for women's health care services. SECTION 2. Deletes proposed SECTION 2 and adds text regarding the responsibilities of the state agency responsible for implementation of the demonstration project. SECTION 3. Deletes previous text of SECTION 3 regarding the acquisition of a waiver and provides for the new effective date of this Act. Deletes SECTION 4 regarding previous effective date.