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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the expansion of eligibility for medical assistance to |
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certain persons under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable |
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Care Act. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 32.02472 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 32.02472. EXPANDED ELIGIBILITY FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE |
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UNDER PATIENT PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT. |
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(a) Notwithstanding any other law, the department shall provide |
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medical assistance to all persons who apply for that assistance and |
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for whom federal matching funds are available under 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 provide that assistance. |
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(b) The executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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Services Commission shall adopt rules regarding the provision of |
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medical assistance as required by this section. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to an initial determination or recertification of eligibility of a |
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person for medical assistance under Chapter 32, Human Resources |
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Code, made on or after January 1, 2014, regardless of the date the |
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person applied for that assistance. |
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SECTION 3. As soon as possible after the effective date of |
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this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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Services Commission shall take all necessary actions to expand |
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eligibility for medical assistance under Chapter 32, Human |
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Resources Code, in accordance with Section 32.02472, Human |
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Resources Code, as added by this Act, including notifying |
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appropriate federal agencies of that expanded eligibility. If |
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before implementing any provision of this Act a state agency |
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determines that any other waiver or authorization from a federal |
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agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, the |
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agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or |
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authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the |
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waiver or authorization is granted. |
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SECTION 4. 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, 2013. |