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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the State of Texas entering into the Interstate |
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Medicaid Reform Compact. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle I, Title 4, Government Code, is amended |
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by adding Chapter 536 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 536. MEDICAID REFORM--EXECUTION OF INTERSTATE COMPACT. |
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This state enters into the "Interstate Medicaid Reform Compact" |
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with all other states legally joining in the compact in |
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substantially the following form: |
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INTERSTATE MEDICAID REFORM COMPACT |
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ARTICLE I - STATE MEDICAID GRANTS |
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It shall be the responsibility of each participating state to |
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formulate plans for replacing the federal medicaid program with a |
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new federal program of direct grants to states, to go into effect |
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within one year of entrance into this compact by such state. By |
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consenting to this compact, the State of Texas hereby agrees to |
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participate in a "State Medicaid Grants" program that shall make |
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each participating state entitled to receive, from the United |
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States Department of Health and Human Services, for each of the |
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federal fiscal years 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015, a state medicaid |
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grant equal to the greatest of the amount to be paid to that state |
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under the previous federal medicaid program during the federal |
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fiscal years 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011. The conditions currently |
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attaching under federal law to the states' use of medicaid funds |
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shall be suspended as to the state medicaid grants. |
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ARTICLE II - INTERSTATE COOPERATION |
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It shall be the responsibility of each participating state to set |
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enrollment and benefits levels that provide substantial, |
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affordable, and accessible health care for the poor and uninsured. |
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Each participating state hereby agrees that it will substantially |
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use its state medicaid grants to support such state health care |
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programs. |
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ARTICLE III - IMPLEMENTATION |
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(A) This compact shall become operative immediately upon its |
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entrance by any two states; thereafter, this compact shall become |
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effective as to any other state upon the compact's entrance by such |
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state. |
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(B) This compact shall become effective, for purposes of the |
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operation of federal law in the participating states and of any |
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other legal effect requiring consent of the United States Congress, |
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pursuant to Article I, Section 10, of the United States |
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Constitution, upon the approval of a resolution expressing the |
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consent of the United States Congress to this compact. |
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(C) This compact may be amended by agreement among the |
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participating states and enactment of such amendment under the laws |
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of each participating state. By consenting to this compact, the |
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United States Congress consents to any amendments adopted in |
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accordance with this article. |
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ARTICLE IV - WITHDRAWAL AND DISSOLUTION |
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A participating state may withdraw from this compact by repealing |
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its enactment of this compact. This compact shall be dissolved upon |
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the withdrawal of all but one of the signatories hereto. |
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SECTION 2. It is the request of the Texas Legislature that |
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the United States Congress consent to this proposed compact, |
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pursuant to Article I, Section 10, of the United States |
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Constitution. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately upon its |
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passage. |
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SECTION 4. The Texas Secretary of State shall send official |
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copies of this Act to the Vice-President of the United States (in |
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his capacity as presiding officer of the United States Senate), to |
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both United States Senators from the State of Texas, to the Speaker |
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of the United States House of Representatives, and to all 32 members |
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of the United States House of Representatives from the State of |
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Texas, with the request that this Act be published in its entirety |
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in the Congressional Record. |