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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to providing medical assistance to certain former foster |
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care adolescents. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 32.02471 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 32.02471. MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FOR CERTAIN FORMER FOSTER |
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CARE ADOLESCENTS. (a) In this section, "independent foster care |
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adolescent" has the meaning assigned by Section 32.0247. |
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(b) Except as provided by Subsections (d) and (e), the |
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department shall provide medical assistance to a person who: |
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(1) is 21 years of age or older but younger than 25 |
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years of age; and |
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(2) would be eligible to receive assistance as an |
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independent foster care adolescent under Section 32.0247 if the |
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person were younger than 21 years of age. |
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(c) The department shall apply for and actively pursue a |
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waiver or other authorization from an appropriate federal agency to |
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receive matching funds to provide medical assistance under this |
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section. |
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(d) Pending approval of the waiver or authorization applied |
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for under Subsection (c), the department shall use state funds |
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appropriated for that purpose to immediately develop and implement |
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a program designed to provide health care services and benefits to a |
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person described by Subsection (b) in a manner that is |
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substantively identical to the medical assistance provided to |
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independent foster care adolescents under Section 32.0247, except |
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to the extent that programmatic differences are appropriate because |
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of the populations served by the programs and the sources of funding |
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for the programs. |
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(e) If the waiver or authorization applied for under |
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Subsection (c) is not granted, the department shall continue the |
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program implemented under Subsection (d) using state funds. |
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SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the Health and Human Services Commission shall apply to |
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the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for a waiver |
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or other authorization as required by Section 32.02471, Human |
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Resources Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |