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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to health benefits coverage for certain persons under the |
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child health plan, medical assistance, and other programs. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 62.101(b), Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b) The commission shall establish income eligibility |
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levels consistent with Title XXI, Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. |
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Section 1397aa et seq.), as amended, and any other applicable law or |
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regulations, and subject to the availability of appropriated money, |
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so that a child who is younger than 19 years of age and whose net |
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family income is at or below 300 [200] percent of the federal |
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poverty level is eligible for health benefits coverage under the |
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program. In addition, the commission may establish eligibility |
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standards regarding the amount and types of allowable assets for a |
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family whose net family income is above 150 percent of the federal |
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poverty level. |
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SECTION 2. Subtitle C, Title 2, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by adding Chapter 65 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 65. DEMONSTRATION PROJECT TO PROVIDE HEALTH BENEFITS PLAN |
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COVERAGE TO CERTAIN PARENTS |
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Sec. 65.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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(1) "Commission" means the Health and Human Services |
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Commission. |
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(2) "Executive commissioner" means the executive |
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commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission. |
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Sec. 65.002. NOT AN ENTITLEMENT. This chapter does not |
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establish an entitlement to assistance in obtaining health |
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benefits. |
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Sec. 65.003. HEALTH BENEFITS PLAN COVERAGE FOR CERTAIN |
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PARENTS. (a) The executive commissioner shall develop and seek a |
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waiver under Section 1115 of the federal Social Security Act (42 |
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U.S.C. Section 1315) to implement a demonstration project to |
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provide health benefits plan coverage to an individual who: |
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(1) is the parent of a child receiving medical |
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assistance under Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, or of a child |
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enrolled in the child health plan under Chapter 62; |
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(2) has a net family income, as defined by Section |
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62.002, that is equal to or less than 300 percent of the federal |
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poverty level; |
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(3) is not eligible for medical assistance; and |
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(4) is not covered by a health benefits plan offering |
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adequate benefits, as determined by the commission. |
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(b) The demonstration project developed under this section |
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must be designed and administered in a manner that: |
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(1) qualifies for federal funding; and |
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(2) is, to the extent practical, substantively |
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identical to the manner in which the child health plan program is |
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administered under Chapter 62, except as otherwise provided by this |
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chapter. |
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Sec. 65.004. COST-SHARING REQUIREMENTS. The commission |
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shall require that an individual provided health benefits plan |
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coverage under this chapter pay: |
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(1) 100 percent of the plan premium; and |
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(2) deductibles, coinsurance, or other cost-sharing |
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payments as determined by the executive commissioner. |
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Sec. 65.005. BENEFITS COVERAGE REQUIRED. To the extent |
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possible, a health benefits plan offered under this chapter must |
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provide benefits similar to the benefits provided under the child |
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health plan program under Section 62.151. |
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Sec. 65.006. CROWD-OUT. To the extent allowed by federal |
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law, the demonstration project under this chapter must include |
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provisions designed to discourage: |
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(1) employers and other persons from electing to |
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discontinue offering health benefits plan coverage for individuals |
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under employee or other group health benefit plans; and |
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(2) individuals with access to adequate health benefit |
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plan coverage, other than coverage under the health benefits plan |
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offered under this chapter, from electing to not obtain, or to |
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discontinue, that coverage. |
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Sec. 65.007. RULES. The executive commissioner shall adopt |
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rules as necessary to implement the demonstration project under |
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this chapter. |
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SECTION 3. Section 32.024(i), Human Resources Code, as |
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amended by Chapters 198 (H.B. 2292) and 1251 (S.B. 1862), Acts of |
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the 78th Legislature, Regular Session, 2003, is reenacted and |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(i) The [Subject to appropriated state funds, the] |
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department in its adoption of rules shall establish a medically |
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needy program that serves pregnant women, children, and caretakers |
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who have high medical expenses. At a minimum, the program must |
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serve recipients, including adult recipients, in the same manner |
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and at the same level that services were provided to recipients |
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under the medically needy program during the state fiscal biennium |
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ending August 31, 2003. |
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SECTION 4. Section 32.0261, Human Resources Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 32.0261. CONTINUOUS ELIGIBILITY. The department |
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shall adopt rules in accordance with 42 U.S.C. Section |
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1396a(e)(12), as amended, to provide for a period of continuous |
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eligibility for a child under 19 years of age who is determined to |
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be eligible for medical assistance under this chapter. The rules |
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shall provide that the child remains eligible for medical |
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assistance, without additional review by the department and |
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regardless of changes in the child's resources or income, until the |
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earlier of: |
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(1) the first anniversary of [end of the six-month
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period following] the date on which the child's eligibility was |
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determined; or |
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(2) the child's 19th birthday. |
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SECTION 5. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Child health plan program" means the state child |
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health plan program established under Chapter 62, Health and Safety |
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Code. |
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(2) "Commission" means the Health and Human Services |
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Commission. |
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(3) "Executive commissioner" means the executive |
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commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission. |
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(4) "Medicaid" means the medical assistance program |
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under Chapter 32, Human Resources Code. |
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(b) Not later than September 1, 2010, the executive |
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commissioner by rule shall develop a strategic plan designed to: |
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(1) intensify community outreach and education |
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relating to the availability of benefits under the child health |
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plan and Medicaid programs; and |
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(2) reduce the paperwork and other administrative |
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burdens associated with determining eligibility for and enrolling |
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eligible individuals in the child health plan and Medicaid |
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programs. |
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(c) Not later than September 1, 2011, the commission shall |
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implement the plan developed under Subsection (b) of this section. |
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SECTION 6. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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Services Commission shall apply for and actively pursue the waiver |
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from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services or any |
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other federal agency required by Section 65.003, Health and Safety |
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Code, as added by this Act. The commission may delay implementing |
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Chapter 65, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act, until the |
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waiver applied for under this section is granted. |
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SECTION 7. Not later than October 1, 2009, the executive |
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commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall |
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adopt rules as necessary under Section 32.024(i), Human Resources |
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Code, as amended by Chapters 198 (H.B. 2292) and 1251 (S.B. 1862), |
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Acts of the 78th Legislature, Regular Session, 2003, and this Act, |
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that, to the extent possible, are substantively identical to the |
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rules relating to the medically needy program that were in effect on |
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August 31, 2003. |
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SECTION 8. 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, other than the waiver required by Section 65.003, |
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Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act, is necessary for |
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implementation of that provision, the agency affected by the |
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provision shall request the waiver or authorization and may delay |
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implementing that provision until the waiver or authorization is |
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granted. |
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SECTION 9. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |