By: Van de Putte S.B. No. 616 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the establishment of a medical assistance pilot program 1-3 for the management of children's asthma. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is 1-6 amended by adding Section 531.021912 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 531.021912. MEDICAID DISEASE MANAGEMENT PILOT PROGRAM 1-8 FOR CHILDREN'S ASTHMA. (a) The commission by rule shall develop a 1-9 Medicaid disease management pilot program for children's asthma for 1-10 implementation in counties, selected by the Texas Department of 1-11 Health, with a high incidence of children's asthma and a high rate 1-12 of hospital emergency room care for the treatment of children's 1-13 asthma. 1-14 (b) The pilot program shall provide continuous care, case 1-15 management, and asthma education to Medicaid recipients younger 1-16 than 19 years of age who have been hospitalized or received 1-17 emergency care services for asthma. The program shall also provide 1-18 health care provider education to ensure the appropriate use of 1-19 specialized asthma treatments for those recipients. In developing 1-20 the program, the commission shall consider the disease management 1-21 pilot programs for Medicaid recipients with asthma operated in 1-22 Virginia and Florida. 1-23 (c) The Texas Department of Health shall administer the 1-24 pilot program under the direction of the commission, and the 1-25 commission and the department shall implement the program not later 2-1 than November 1, 2001. In implementing the program, the commission 2-2 and the department, to the extent possible, shall use the services 2-3 of local health care professionals. 2-4 (d) Not later than December 1, 2004, the commission shall 2-5 submit a report to the lieutenant governor and the speaker of the 2-6 house of representatives on the effectiveness, including the 2-7 cost-effectiveness, of the pilot program. The report must include: 2-8 (1) an evaluation of the effects of the program on 2-9 hospitalization rates and emergency room admissions of program 2-10 participants; and 2-11 (2) recommendations for changes in or expansion of the 2-12 program. 2-13 (e) This section expires September 1, 2005. 2-14 SECTION 2. If before implementing this Act the Health and 2-15 Human Services Commission determines that a waiver or authorization 2-16 from a federal agency is necessary for implementation, the 2-17 commission shall request the waiver or authorization and may delay 2-18 implementing this section until the waiver or authorization is 2-19 granted. 2-20 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.