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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to greater flexibility over the administration and |
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operation of the Medicaid program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. (a) The Health and Human Services Commission |
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shall identify changes to the administration and operation of the |
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Medicaid program that would increase efficiency and reduce program |
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costs borne by this state if implemented, but that the commission |
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cannot implement because of restrictions under federal law. The |
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commission shall actively pursue a waiver or other authorization |
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from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to |
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implement those changes to the extent permitted by the laws of this |
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state. |
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(b) In addition to any changes with respect to which the |
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Health and Human Services Commission pursues a waiver or other |
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authorization under Subsection (a) of this section, the commission |
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shall actively seek from appropriate federal governmental |
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entities: |
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(1) flexibility with respect to the Medicaid |
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maintenance of effort requirements specified in the Patient |
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Protection and Affordable Care Act (Pub. L. No. 111-148) as amended |
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by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Pub. L. |
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No. 111-152) to allow the commission to modify eligibility criteria |
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as necessary to maintain control of rising Medicaid costs; |
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(2) flexibility with respect to the benefits provided |
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to recipients under the Medicaid program; and |
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(3) authorization to impose nominal copayments for |
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Medicaid services to encourage Medicaid recipients to take |
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responsibility for health care decision-making, allow recipients |
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to have greater ownership over their health care, and modify |
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recipients' behaviors that result in inappropriate use of services. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |