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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to requirements for Medicaid managed care organizations |
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that provide behavioral health services through a third party or |
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subsidiary. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 533, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 533.002553 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 533.002553. BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES PROVIDED |
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THROUGH THIRD PARTY OR SUBSIDIARY. (a) In this section, |
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"behavioral health services" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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533.00255. |
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(b) For a managed care organization that contracts with the |
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commission under this chapter and that provides behavioral health |
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services through a contract with a third party or an arrangement |
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with a subsidiary of the managed care organization, the commission |
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shall: |
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(1) require the effective sharing and integration of |
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care coordination, service authorization, and utilization |
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management data between the managed care organization and the third |
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party or subsidiary; |
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(2) encourage, to the extent feasible, the colocation |
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of physical health and behavioral health care coordination staff; |
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(3) require warm call transfers between physical |
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health and behavioral health care coordination staff; |
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(4) require the managed care organization and the |
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third party or subsidiary to implement joint rounds for physical |
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health and behavioral health services network providers or some |
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other effective means for sharing clinical information; and |
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(5) ensure that the managed care organization makes |
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available a seamless provider portal for both physical health and |
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behavioral health services network providers, to the extent allowed |
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by federal law. |
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SECTION 2. If before implementing any provision of this Act |
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a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a |
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federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, |
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the 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 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |