By Moncrief S.B. No. 831 77R2897 KLA-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the establishment of a medical assistance buy-in pilot 1-3 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. MEDICAL ASSISTANCE BUY-IN PILOT PROGRAM FOR 1-8 CERTAIN RECIPIENTS WITH DISABILITIES. (a) The department shall 1-9 develop and implement a medical assistance buy-in pilot program in 1-10 accordance with the Ticket to Work and Work Incentives Improvement 1-11 Act of 1999 (Pub. L. No. 106-170) to provide medical assistance to: 1-12 (1) a person who: 1-13 (A) is at least 16 years of age, but is not more 1-14 than 64 years of age; and 1-15 (B) has earned income that exceeds the limit 1-16 established by federal law for eligibility for Supplemental 1-17 Security Income (SSI) (42 U.S.C. Section 1381 et seq.), but is 1-18 otherwise eligible for those benefits; and 1-19 (2) an employed individual with a medically improved 1-20 disability, as defined by 42 U.S.C. Section 1396d(v)(1). 1-21 (b) The department shall operate the pilot program in two 1-22 specific geographic areas of the state. The department shall 1-23 determine the pilot sites, with one site in an urban area and the 1-24 other site in a rural area. 2-1 (c) In establishing the pilot program, the department may: 2-2 (1) establish income, assets, and resource limitations 2-3 for eligibility for the medical assistance buy-in pilot program; 2-4 and 2-5 (2) require a person who participates in the medical 2-6 assistance buy-in pilot program to pay premiums and other 2-7 cost-sharing charges in accordance with 42 U.S.C. Section 2-8 1396o(g)(1). 2-9 (d) In establishing the program, the department shall 2-10 require a person who participates in the medical assistance buy-in 2-11 pilot program to pay premiums to the extent required by 42 U.S.C. 2-12 Section 1396o(g)(2). 2-13 (e) Not later than December 1, 2002, the department shall 2-14 submit to the presiding officer of each house of the legislature a 2-15 report concerning the effectiveness of the pilot program. The 2-16 report must include a recommendation regarding the feasibility of 2-17 expanding the pilot program statewide. 2-18 (f) This section expires September 1, 2003. 2-19 SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2002, the Texas 2-20 Department of Human Services shall develop and implement the 2-21 medical assistance buy-in pilot program under Section 32.053, Human 2-22 Resources Code, as added by this Act. 2-23 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.