BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 2132
86R7895 KKR-D	By: Powell
	Health & Human Services
	3/25/2019
	As Filed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

S.B. 2132 seeks to increase access to and use of the Healthy Texas Women program. In its September 2018 report, the Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Task Force recommended increased access to healthcare for the year after a pregnancy and throughout the interconception period by facilitating the continuity of care and working towards effective transitions of care. S.B. 2132 will help increase access to care for women who are enrolled in the Healthy Texas Women program after their Medicaid for Pregnant Women coverage expires.

The bill directs the Health and Human Services Commission to alert eligible women of their enrollment into Healthy Texas Women and the services provided through the program, and to provide information on local health care providers that participate in Healthy Texas Women.

As proposed, S.B. 2132 amends current law relating to the provision of information to certain women enrolled in the Healthy Texas Women program.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission in SECTION 2 of this bill.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, by adding Section 531.0995, as follows:

Sec. 531.0995. INFORMATION FOR CERTAIN ENROLLEES IN THE HEALTHY TEXAS WOMEN PROGRAM. (a) Defines "Healthy Texas Women program" for purposes of this section.

(b) Provides that this section applies to a woman who is automatically enrolled in the Healthy Texas Women program following a pregnancy for which the woman received Medicaid, but who is no longer eligible to participate in Medicaid.

(c) Requires the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), at the time a woman described by Subsection (b) is enrolled in the Healthy Texas Women program, to provide certain information to the woman.

SECTION 2. Requires the executive commissioner of HHSC, as soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, to adopt any rules necessary to implement Section 531.0995, Government Code, as added by this Act.

SECTION 3. Provides that Section 531.0995, Government Code, as added by this Act, applies only to a woman automatically enrolled in the Healthy Texas Woman program on or after January 1, 2020.

SECTION 4. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2019.