AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
The Demonstration Project for Women's Health Care Services is a Medicaid waiver for uninsured United States citizens living in Texas whose income and family size put them at the level at which women would be qualified for Medicaid if they were pregnant.
The Texas Legislature approved the demonstration project in 2005, and it expires in December, 2011. S.B. 1854 will continue the project, to be renamed the Women's Health Program, but limit participation to providers who can offer comprehensive care.
As proposed, S.B. 1854 amends current law relating to the women's health program.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 32.0248, Human Resources Code, as follows:
Sec. 32.0248. New heading: WOMEN'S HEALTH PROGRAM. (a) Defines, in this section, "family planning," "prenatal care," and "program."
(a-1) Creates this subsection from existing text. Requires the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to provide a women's health program through the medical assistance program to expand access to comprehensive primary and preventive health care and family planning services for women, rather than requires HHSC to establish a five-year demonstration project through the medical assistance program to expand access to preventive health and family planning services for women. Authorizes a woman eligible under Subsection (b) to participate in the program, rather than demonstration project, to receive certain appropriate comprehensive primary and preventive health care and family planning services, including prenatal care. Makes nonsubstantive changes.
(b)-(c) Makes conforming changes.
(d) Requires HHSC to develop procedures for determining and certifying eligibility for services under the program, rather than demonstration project, at the point of service delivery using integrated procedures that minimize duplication of effort by providers, HHSC, and other state agencies. Prohibits HHSC from using a procedure that would require a cost in excess of 10 percent of the total costs of actual comprehensive primary and preventive health care and family planning services provided under the program, rather than demonstration project.
(e) Requires HHSC to compile a list of potential funding sources a woman participating in the program, rather than demonstration project, may be able to use to help pay for treatment for health problems identified using services provided under the program, rather than demonstration project, and for which the woman is not eligible to receive treatment under the program or otherwise under the medical assistance program, rather than under the medical assistance program or the demonstration project.
(f) Makes conforming changes.
(g) Requires HHSC, not later than December 1 of each even-numbered year, to submit a report to the legislature regarding the HHSC's operation of the program, rather than HHSC's progress in establishing and operating the demonstration project.
(h) Makes conforming changes.
Deletes existing Subsection (i) providing that this section expires September 1, 2011.
SECTION 2. Requires a state agency, if necessary for implementation of Section 32.0248, Human Resources Code, as amended by Act, to request a waiver or authorization from a federal agency, and authorizes delay of implementation until such a waiver or authorization is granted.
SECTION 3. Effective date: upon passage or August 31, 2011.