By Coleman                                            H.B. No. 1087
         77R3145 KLA-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to a demonstration project to establish  a medical
 1-3     assistance buy-in program for certain persons with disabilities.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, is
 1-6     amended by adding Section 32.053 to read as follows:
 1-7           Sec. 32.053.  DEMONSTRATION PROJECT FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
 1-8     BUY-IN PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN RECIPIENTS WITH DISABILITIES. (a)  The
 1-9     department shall establish a demonstration project to implement a
1-10     medical assistance buy-in program in accordance with the Ticket to
1-11     Work and Work Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 (Pub. L. No.
1-12     106-170) to provide medical assistance to:
1-13                 (1)  a person who:
1-14                       (A)  is at least 16 years of age, but is not more
1-15     than 64 years of age; and
1-16                       (B)  has earned income that exceeds the limit
1-17     established by federal law for eligibility for Supplemental
1-18     Security Income (SSI) (42 U.S.C. Section 1381 et seq.), but is
1-19     otherwise eligible for those benefits; and
1-20                 (2)  an employed individual with a medically improved
1-21     disability, as defined by 42 U.S.C. Section 1396d(v)(1).
1-22           (b)  In establishing the demonstration project, the
1-23     department may:
1-24                 (1)  establish income, assets, and resource limitations
 2-1     for eligibility for participation in the demonstration project; and
 2-2                 (2)  require a participant in the demonstration project
 2-3     to pay premiums and other cost-sharing charges in accordance with
 2-4     42 U.S.C. Section 1396o(g)(1).
 2-5           (c)  The department shall require a participant in the
 2-6     project to pay premiums to the extent required by 42 U.S.C. Section
 2-7     1396o(g)(2).
 2-8           (d)  Not later than December 1, 2002, the department shall
 2-9     evaluate the effectiveness of the demonstration project in
2-10     providing health care services to employed persons with
2-11     disabilities.  If the results of the evaluation indicate that the
2-12     project is effective, the department shall incorporate a request
2-13     for funding for the continuation of the program in the department's
2-14     budget request for the next state fiscal biennium.
2-15           (e)  This section expires September 1, 2003.
2-16           SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.