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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a study regarding the costs and benefits of providing |
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presumptive eligibility for Medicaid to certain applicants for |
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federal disability benefits. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. STUDY REGARDING COSTS AND BENEFITS OF |
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PRESUMPTIVE ELIGIBILITY FOR CERTAIN PERSONS. (a) The Health and |
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Human Services Commission shall conduct a study to determine the |
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costs and benefits to this state of providing presumptive |
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eligibility for Medicaid to each person who applies for |
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Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits under 42 U.S.C. Section |
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1381 et seq., and who appears to meet the income and asset limits |
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for those benefits, during the period the person's application is |
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pending. |
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(b) The study shall examine: |
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(1) the administrative costs this state would incur in |
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providing the presumptive eligibility for Medicaid to persons |
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described by Subsection (a) of this section; |
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(2) other costs associated with providing the |
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presumptive eligibility; and |
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(3) the benefits to this state and to political |
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subdivisions of this state of providing the presumptive |
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eligibility, including: |
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(A) the savings that would be realized by |
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allowing persons given presumptive eligibility for Medicaid to |
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access health care services through Medicaid providers rather than |
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local hospital emergency rooms; and |
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(B) the additional federal Medicaid funds that |
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would be available to this state if the presumptive eligibility |
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were provided. |
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(c) Not later than October 1, 2008, the Health and Human |
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Services Commission shall submit to the governor, the lieutenant |
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governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the |
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presiding officers of the standing committees of the senate and |
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house of representatives with primary jurisdiction over the |
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Medicaid program a report on the costs and benefits of providing |
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presumptive eligibility for Medicaid to persons described by |
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Subsection (a) of this section. The report must include a |
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description of any legislation necessary to provide the presumptive |
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eligibility to those persons. |
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SECTION 2. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September |
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1, 2007. |