| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to establishing a Medicaid Block Grant Waiver Legislative |
|
|
Oversight Committee. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. The heading to Chapter 537, Government Code, is |
|
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
|
CHAPTER 537. MEDICAID BLOCK GRANT AND REFORM WAIVERS [WAIVER] |
|
|
SECTION 2. Chapter 537, Government Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Section 537.001 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 537.001. MEDICAID BLOCK GRANT WAIVER LEGISLATIVE |
|
|
OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. (a) In this section: |
|
|
(1) "Committee" means the Medicaid Block Grant Waiver |
|
|
Legislative Oversight Committee created under this section. |
|
|
(2) "Medicaid block grant funding system" means a |
|
|
system of funding Medicaid that provides for a set total amount of |
|
|
federal financial participation regardless of program enrollment. |
|
|
(b) If the federal government authorizes states to opt to |
|
|
receive the federal share of money for the operation of Medicaid |
|
|
through a Medicaid block grant funding system or requires that |
|
|
states receive that money through a Medicaid block grant funding |
|
|
system, the Medicaid Block Grant Waiver Legislative Oversight |
|
|
Committee is created as provided by this section to facilitate |
|
|
waiver efforts with respect to the system by which Medicaid is |
|
|
funded in this state. |
|
|
(c) The committee is composed of eight members, as follows: |
|
|
(1) four members of the senate, appointed by the |
|
|
lieutenant governor; and |
|
|
(2) four members of the house of representatives, |
|
|
appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives. |
|
|
(d) A member of the committee serves at the pleasure of the |
|
|
appointing official. |
|
|
(e) The lieutenant governor and speaker of the house of |
|
|
representatives shall each designate a co-chair from among the |
|
|
committee members. |
|
|
(f) A member of the committee may not receive compensation |
|
|
for serving on the committee but is entitled to reimbursement for |
|
|
travel expenses incurred by the member while conducting the |
|
|
business of the committee as provided by the General Appropriations |
|
|
Act. |
|
|
(g) The committee shall: |
|
|
(1) facilitate the design and development of a |
|
|
Medicaid block grant waiver; |
|
|
(2) facilitate a smooth transition from existing |
|
|
Medicaid payment systems and benefit designs to a new model of |
|
|
Medicaid enabled by the waiver described by Subdivision (1) of this |
|
|
subsection; |
|
|
(3) meet at the call of the presiding officer; and |
|
|
(4) research, take public testimony, and issue reports |
|
|
requested by the lieutenant governor or speaker of the house of |
|
|
representatives. |
|
|
(h) The committee may request reports and other information |
|
|
from the commission. |
|
|
(i) The committee shall use existing staff of the senate, |
|
|
the house of representatives, and the Texas Legislative Council to |
|
|
assist the committee in performing its duties under this section. |
|
|
(j) Chapter 551 applies to the committee. |
|
|
SECTION 3. 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. |