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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of a pilot program by the Health and |
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Human Services Commission to accept importation of electronic |
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eligibility information from a regional indigent care provider. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 531.02413 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 531.02413. ELECTRONIC ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION PILOT |
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PROJECT. (a) The commission shall establish a pilot project in at |
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least one urban area of this state to determine the feasibility, |
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costs, and benefits of accepting, for the purpose of establishing |
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eligibility for benefits under state and federal health and human |
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services programs administered by the commission, the direct |
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importation of electronic eligibility information from an |
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electronic system operated by a regional indigent care |
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collaborative system. |
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(b) An area selected for the pilot project under this |
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section must possess a functioning indigent care collaborative |
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system that includes a network of providers and assesses |
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eligibility for health and human services programs using electronic |
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systems. The electronic systems used by the collaborative system |
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must be able to interface with electronic systems managed by the |
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commission to enable the commission to import application and |
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eligibility information regarding applicants for health and human |
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services programs. |
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(c) In establishing a pilot project under this section, the |
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commission shall: |
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(1) focus on creating a project in which electronic |
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applications for indigent care created by a regional indigent care |
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network may be shared with the commission to facilitate enrollment |
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in health and human services programs administered by the |
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commission; |
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(2) solicit and obtain support for the project from |
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local officials and indigent care providers; |
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(3) ensure that all identifying and descriptive |
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information of recipients in each health and human services program |
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included in the project can only be accessed by providers or other |
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entities participating in the project; and |
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(4) ensure that the storage and communication of all |
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identifying and descriptive information included in the project |
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complies with existing federal and state privacy laws governing |
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individually identifiable information for recipients of public |
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benefits programs. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than the 180th day after the effective |
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date of this Act, the Health and Human Services Commission shall |
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take action to begin implementation of the pilot project |
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established under Section 531.02413, Government Code, as added by |
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this Act. |
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SECTION 3. Not later than December 1, 2008, the Health and |
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Human Services Commission shall: |
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(1) assess the cost-effectiveness, efficacy, |
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efficiency, and benefits of using electronic eligibility |
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information imported from electronic systems operated by regional |
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indigent care collaborative systems; and |
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(2) report the commission's findings resulting from |
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the pilot project established under Section 531.02413, Government |
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Code, as added by this Act, to the standing committees of the senate |
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and the house of representatives having primary jurisdiction over |
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health and human services issues. |
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SECTION 4. If before implementing any provision of this Act |
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a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a |
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federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, |
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the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or |
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authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the |
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waiver or authorization is granted. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 321 was passed by the House on April |
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27, 2007, by the following vote: Yeas 132, Nays 0, 2 present, not |
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voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 321 was passed by the Senate on May |
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18, 2007, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: _____________________ |
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Date |
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_____________________ |
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Governor |