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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the Women's Health Program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 531.095 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 531.095. IMPLEMENTATION OF MEASURES TO ACHIEVE |
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CASELOAD AND COST-SAVINGS ESTIMATES. (a) To attain the state and |
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federal cost-savings and reduced rates of unintended pregnancies |
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estimated in the waiver application, or any renewal waiver |
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application, submitted to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid |
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Services for implementation of the demonstration project |
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authorized under Section 32.0248, Human Resources Code, the |
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commission shall implement effective education, outreach, and |
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other measures designed to increase participation in the |
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demonstration project and through the increased participation |
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achieve the caseload and cost-saving estimates stated in the waiver |
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application. |
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(b) The commission, in complying with Subsection (a), may |
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not take any action to decrease the level of programs and services |
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designed to reduce the number of unintended pregnancies and lower |
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the rates of sexually transmitted diseases to below the level of |
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programs and services provided on September 1, 2009. |
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SECTION 2. Section 32.0248, Human Resources Code, is |
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amended by adding Subsections (b-1), (b-2), and (b-3) to read as |
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follows: |
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(b-1) The department shall identify women potentially |
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eligible for participation in the demonstration project following |
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pregnancies for which the women received benefits through the |
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medical assistance program and assist those women in establishing |
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eligibility for the demonstration project. Benefits received |
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through the demonstration project shall begin on the first day of |
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the month following termination of eligibility for the medical |
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assistance program. |
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(b-2) The department shall modify any applicable |
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administrative procedures to ensure that a woman described by |
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Subsection (b-1) maintains continuous eligibility for any services |
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provided by both the medical assistance program and the |
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demonstration project during the transition from participation in |
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the medical assistance program to participation in the |
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demonstration project. |
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(b-3) The department shall require any entity that provides |
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information and services to participants in the medical assistance |
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program to provide the following information to women who are |
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potentially eligible for the demonstration project: |
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(1) a description of benefits available through the |
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demonstration project; and |
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(2) information on how to apply for enrollment in the |
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demonstration project. |
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SECTION 3. 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 is necessary for implementation of that provision, |
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the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or |
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authorization in a timely manner and may delay implementing that |
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provision until the waiver or authorization is granted. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |