80R1330 ABC-D
 
  By: Dukes H.B. No. 322
 
 
 
   
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a study regarding the costs and benefits of providing
presumptive eligibility for Medicaid to certain applicants for
federal disability benefits.
       BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
       SECTION 1.  STUDY REGARDING COSTS AND BENEFITS OF
PRESUMPTIVE ELIGIBILITY FOR CERTAIN PERSONS. (a) The Health and
Human Services Commission shall conduct a study to determine the
costs and benefits to this state of providing presumptive
eligibility for Medicaid to each person who applies for
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits under 42 U.S.C. Section
1381 et seq., and who appears to meet the income and asset limits
for those benefits, during the period the person's application is
pending.
       (b)  The study shall examine:
             (1)  the administrative costs this state would incur in
providing the presumptive eligibility for Medicaid to persons
described by Subsection (a) of this section;
             (2)  other costs associated with providing the
presumptive eligibility; and
             (3)  the benefits to this state and to political
subdivisions of this state of providing the presumptive
eligibility, including:
                   (A)  the savings that would be realized by
allowing persons given presumptive eligibility for Medicaid to
access health care services through Medicaid providers rather than
local hospital emergency rooms; and
                   (B)  the additional federal Medicaid funds that
would be available to this state if the presumptive eligibility
were provided.
       (c)  Not later than October 1, 2008, the Health and Human
Services Commission shall submit to the governor, the lieutenant
governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the
presiding officers of the standing committees of the senate and
house of representatives with primary jurisdiction over the
Medicaid program a report on the costs and benefits of providing
presumptive eligibility for Medicaid to persons described by
Subsection (a) of this section.  The report must include a
description of any legislation necessary to provide the presumptive
eligibility to those persons.
       SECTION 2.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  This Act takes effect September
1, 2007.