1-1     By:  Coleman, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Moncrief)      H.B. No. 1537
 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 9, 2001;
 1-3     May 10, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on Health
 1-4     and Human Services; May 11, 2001, reported favorably by the
 1-5     following vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 1; May 11, 2001, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to a study and a pilot program regarding the provision of
 1-9     medical assistance and certain health benefits plan coverage for
1-10     children of migrant or seasonal agricultural workers.
1-11           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-12           SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
1-13     amended by adding Section 531.055 to read as follows:
1-14           Sec. 531.055.  MIGRANT CARE NETWORK STUDY; PILOT PROGRAM. (a)
1-15     In this section, "migrant or seasonal agricultural worker" means an
1-16     individual who:
1-17                 (1)  is working or available for work seasonally or
1-18     temporarily in primarily an agricultural or agriculture-related
1-19     industry; and
1-20                 (2)  moves one or more times from one place to another
1-21     to perform seasonal or temporary employment or to be available for
1-22     seasonal or temporary employment.
1-23           (b)  The commission shall conduct a study regarding the
1-24     feasibility of contracting with one or more existing networks of
1-25     health care providers located in this state and in other states to
1-26     establish a migrant care network to provide health care services to
1-27     children of migrant or seasonal agricultural workers who are
1-28     residents of this state and intend to return to this state at the
1-29     conclusion of temporary or seasonal employment in another state and
1-30     who are:
1-31                 (1)  recipients of medical assistance under Chapter 32,
1-32     Human Resources Code; or
1-33                 (2)  enrollees in the child health plan program under
1-34     Chapter 62, Health and Safety Code, or the health benefits plan
1-35     program under Chapter 63, Health and Safety Code.
1-36           (c)  In conducting the study under this section, the
1-37     commission shall:
1-38                 (1)  consider migrant work patterns to determine in
1-39     which states the migrant care network is most needed to adequately
1-40     provide the medical assistance, child health plan coverage, or
1-41     health benefits plan coverage;
1-42                 (2)  examine the necessity and fiscal effect of
1-43     entering into interstate agreements to establish the migrant care
1-44     network; and
1-45                 (3)  determine whether ensuring the provision of health
1-46     care services under the medical assistance program, the child
1-47     health plan program, and the health benefits plan program for
1-48     children of migrant or seasonal agricultural workers during the
1-49     time in which a child is outside of this state is necessary to
1-50     maintain continuity of care for the child.
1-51           (d)  If, based on the results of the study under this
1-52     section, the commission determines that the establishment of a
1-53     migrant care network is feasible, the commission shall develop and
1-54     implement a pilot program for that purpose.  The commission by rule
1-55     shall establish eligibility criteria for participation in the pilot
1-56     program.
1-57           (e)  The commission shall report its findings and
1-58     recommendations regarding the establishment of a migrant care
1-59     network to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the standing
1-60     committees of the senate and house of representatives having
1-61     primary jurisdiction over the commission.  The commission shall
1-62     make the report:
1-63                 (1)  on completion of the study required by this
1-64     section if the commission determines that the establishment of the
 2-1     migrant care network is not feasible; or
 2-2                 (2)  on implementation of the pilot program required by
 2-3     this section if the commission determines that the establishment of
 2-4     the migrant care network is feasible.
 2-5           (f)  This section expires September 1, 2003.
 2-6           SECTION 2. If before implementing any provision of this Act a
 2-7     state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a
 2-8     federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,
 2-9     the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or
2-10     authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the
2-11     waiver or authorization is granted.
2-12           SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
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