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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 ENROLLED IN HIGHER EDUCATION. (a) In this |
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section, "independent foster care adolescent" has the meaning |
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assigned by Section 32.0247. |
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(b) Except as provided by Subsection (d), the department |
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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; |
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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; and |
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(3) is enrolled in an institution of higher education, |
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as defined by Section 61.003(8), Education Code, or a private or |
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independent institution of higher education, as defined by Section |
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61.003(15), Education Code, that is located in this state and is |
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making satisfactory academic progress as determined by the |
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institution. |
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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) If the waiver or authorization applied for under |
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Subsection (c) is not granted, the department shall use funds |
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appropriated for that purpose to develop and implement a program |
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designed to provide health care services and benefits to a person |
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described by Subsection (b) in a manner that is substantively |
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identical to the medical assistance provided to independent foster |
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care adolescents under Section 32.0247, except to the extent that |
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programmatic differences are appropriate because of the |
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populations served by the programs and the sources of funding for |
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the programs. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than October 1, 2007, the Health and |
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Human Services Commission shall apply to the federal Centers for |
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Medicare and Medicaid Services for a waiver or other authorization |
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as required by Section 32.02471, Human Resources Code, as added by |
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this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |