S.B. No. 187
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to a Medicaid buy-in program for certain children with
  disabilities.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 531.02444, Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         Sec. 531.02444.  MEDICAID BUY-IN PROGRAMS [PROGRAM] FOR
  CERTAIN PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES.  (a)  The executive
  commissioner shall develop and implement:
               (1)  a Medicaid buy-in program for persons with
  disabilities as authorized by the Ticket to Work and Work
  Incentives Improvement Act of 1999 (Pub. L. No. 106-170) or the
  Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (Pub. L. No. 105-33); and
               (2)  as authorized by the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005
  (Pub. L. No. 109-171), a Medicaid buy-in program for disabled
  children described by 42 U.S.C. Section 1396a(cc)(1) whose family
  incomes do not exceed 300 percent of the applicable federal poverty
  level.
         (b)  The executive commissioner shall adopt rules in
  accordance with federal law that provide for:
               (1)  eligibility requirements for each [the] program
  described by Subsection (a); and
               (2)  requirements for participants in the program to
  pay premiums or cost-sharing payments, subject to Subsection (c).
         (c)  Rules adopted by the executive commissioner under
  Subsection (b) with respect to the program for disabled children
  described by Subsection (a)(2) must require a participant to pay
  monthly premiums according to a sliding scale that is based on
  family income, subject to the requirements of 42 U.S.C. Sections
  1396o(i)(2) and (3).
         SECTION 2.  Not later than December 1, 2009, the executive
  commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall
  develop and implement the Medicaid buy-in program for disabled
  children under Section 531.02444, Government Code, as amended by
  this Act.
         SECTION 3.  If before implementing any provision of this Act
  a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a
  federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,
  the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or
  authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the
  waiver or authorization is granted.
         SECTION 4.  This Act does not make an appropriation. This
  Act takes effect only if a specific appropriation for the
  implementation of the Act is provided in a general appropriations
  act of the 81st Legislature.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
 
 
 
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 187 passed the Senate on
  April 23, 2009, by the following vote:  Yeas 29, Nays 1.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 187 passed the House on
  May 1, 2009, by the following vote:  Yeas 124, Nays 6, one present
  not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
 
  Approved:
 
  ______________________________ 
              Date
 
 
  ______________________________ 
            Governor