| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to demonstration projects to coordinate eligibility |
|
|
renewal and eligibility recertification for certain children in the |
|
|
Medicaid and child health plan programs. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 62, Health and Safety |
|
|
Code, is amended by adding Section 62.1025 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 62.1025. ELIGIBILITY RENEWAL DEMONSTRATION PROJECT. |
|
|
(a) The commission shall establish a demonstration project through |
|
|
the child health plan program to allow the commission to |
|
|
simultaneously renew the eligibility of multiple children within |
|
|
the same household who are eligible for enrollment in the program. |
|
|
(b) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules necessary |
|
|
to determine the scope of and eligibility for participating in the |
|
|
demonstration project. |
|
|
(c) The commission shall, to the extent possible, operate |
|
|
the demonstration project under this section in conjunction with |
|
|
the demonstration project under Section 32.02614, Human Resources |
|
|
Code. The demonstration project may not increase the frequency |
|
|
with which: |
|
|
(1) the eligibility of children participating in the |
|
|
demonstration project would otherwise be renewed; or |
|
|
(2) those children's household incomes are reviewed |
|
|
under Section 62.102(b). |
|
|
(d) Not later than December 1, 2020, the commission shall |
|
|
submit a report to the legislature regarding the commission's |
|
|
progress in establishing and operating the demonstration project |
|
|
and recommendations on continuing or expanding the demonstration |
|
|
project. |
|
|
(e) This section expires September 1, 2021. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, |
|
|
is amended by adding Section 32.02614 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 32.02614. ELIGIBILITY RECERTIFICATION DEMONSTRATION |
|
|
PROJECT. (a) In this section, "child health plan program" has the |
|
|
meaning assigned by Section 531.001, Government Code. |
|
|
(b) The commission shall establish a demonstration project |
|
|
through the medical assistance program to allow the commission, to |
|
|
the greatest extent possible, to develop and test solutions to |
|
|
simultaneously: |
|
|
(1) recertify and renew, as applicable, the |
|
|
eligibility of multiple children within the same household who are |
|
|
eligible for medical assistance under this chapter or for the child |
|
|
health plan program, including the eligibility of siblings when a |
|
|
child within the household reaches the age of one; and |
|
|
(2) verify the household income of all persons |
|
|
described by Subdivision (1) in accordance with this section to |
|
|
determine eligibility. |
|
|
(c) The demonstration project must include participation by |
|
|
one or more households in each of the following categories: |
|
|
(1) a household with children who are eligible for |
|
|
medical assistance or the child health plan program, at least one of |
|
|
whom is younger than the age of one; |
|
|
(2) a household with children who are eligible for |
|
|
medical assistance or the child health plan program, at least some |
|
|
of whom are not siblings; and |
|
|
(3) a household with at least one child who is eligible |
|
|
for medical assistance and at least one child who is eligible for |
|
|
the child health plan program. |
|
|
(d) The commission shall simultaneously verify the |
|
|
household income of all children within the same household |
|
|
participating in the demonstration project not more frequently than |
|
|
twice during each 12-month period, with the first verification |
|
|
occurring before the sixth month following the earliest date that a |
|
|
child within the household was determined to be eligible for the |
|
|
medical assistance program, and the second verification occurring |
|
|
after that six-month period but before the annual recertification |
|
|
date. |
|
|
(e) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules necessary |
|
|
to determine the scope of and eligibility for participating in the |
|
|
demonstration project. |
|
|
(f) The commission may establish the demonstration project |
|
|
in one or more geographic areas and form partnerships with entities |
|
|
experienced in outreach, application assistance, and enrolling |
|
|
recipients in the medical assistance program, the child health plan |
|
|
program, and any other health benefits coverage. |
|
|
(g) The commission shall, to the extent possible, operate |
|
|
the demonstration project under this section in conjunction with |
|
|
the demonstration project under Section 62.1025, Health and Safety |
|
|
Code. |
|
|
(h) Not later than December 1, 2020, the commission shall |
|
|
submit a report to the legislature regarding the commission's |
|
|
progress in establishing and operating the demonstration project |
|
|
and recommendations on continuing or expanding the demonstration |
|
|
project. |
|
|
(i) This section expires September 1, 2021. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Not later than September 1, 2018, the Health and |
|
|
Human Services Commission shall implement the eligibility renewal |
|
|
and eligibility recertification demonstration projects required by |
|
|
Section 62.1025, Health and Safety Code, as added by this Act, and |
|
|
Section 32.02614, Human Resources Code, as added by this Act. |
|
|
SECTION 4. If before implementing any provision of this Act |
|
|
a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a |
|
|
federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, |
|
|
the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or |
|
|
authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the |
|
|
waiver or authorization is granted. |
|
|
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
|
Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |