TO: | Honorable Lois W. Kolkhorst, Chair, House Committee on Public Health |
FROM: | Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
IN RE: | HB37 by Menéndez (Relating to ensuring the continuation of certain public benefits, including medical assistance, for individuals after release from confinement in a county jail.), As Introduced |
The bill would amend the Human Resources Code to suspend Medicaid eligibility for an individual confined in county jail and would automatically reinstate Medicaid eligibility on the date the individual is released from the county jail, if the individual’s eligibility certification period is still active. Following reinstatement, the individual would remain eligible until the end of the certification period.
The bill would amend the Local Government Code to require a county sheriff to notify the Social Security Administration and the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) of the release of a prisoner who received Supplemental Security Income or Social Security Disability Insurance benefits immediately prior to confinement. The bill would require the sheriff to provide the notices by mail and electronically.
The bill would require a state agency to request federal approval or waiver to implement a provision of the bill, and would allow for a delay in the implementation of the provision until approval is granted.
According to HHSC there would be no significant fiscal impact to the agency. It is assumed the agency could absorb a small cost in fiscal year 2015 for modifications to the Texas Integrated Eligibility Redesign System (TIERS). The impact to Medicaid caseloads is assumed to be small and any cost or savings would not be significant.
Source Agencies: | 529 Health and Human Services Commission
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LBB Staff: | UP, CL, TP, LR
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