86R10767 KKR-D
 
  By: Ortega, Button, Allison, Guerra, H.B. No. 1589
      Sheffield
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to providing notification to certain pregnant women
  regarding their eligibility for coverage under Medicaid and the
  Healthy Texas Women program.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 531.0995 to read as follows:
         Sec. 531.0995.  NOTIFICATION OF POTENTIAL AUTOMATIC
  ENROLLMENT IN THE HEALTHY TEXAS WOMEN PROGRAM. (a) In this
  section, "Healthy Texas Women program" means a program operated by
  the commission that is substantially similar to the demonstration
  project operated under former Section 32.0248, Human Resources
  Code, and that is intended to expand access to preventive health and
  family planning services for women in this state.
         (b)  Subject to Subsection (c), the executive commissioner
  shall adopt rules requiring the commission to provide to a woman who
  is a recipient of Medicaid during her pregnancy written notice
  that:
               (1)  the woman has continuous coverage under Medicaid
  through the second month after the pregnancy ends;
               (2)  if appropriate, the woman's eligibility for
  enrollment in the Healthy Texas Women program will be determined
  approximately 30 days after the date the woman's pregnancy ends;
  and
               (3)  if the woman is determined eligible for the
  Healthy Texas Women program:
                     (A)  she will be automatically enrolled in the
  program; and
                     (B)  her coverage under the program begins on the
  first day following the date her Medicaid coverage ends.
         (c)  The executive commissioner shall consult with the
  Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Task Force established under
  Chapter 34, Health and Safety Code, to determine when and the manner
  by which the notice required under Subsection (b) should be
  provided to women. If feasible, the commission shall provide the
  notice to a woman before the third trimester of her pregnancy.  This
  subsection expires January 1, 2020.
         SECTION 2.  Not later than January 1, 2020, the executive
  commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall
  adopt rules required by Section 531.0995, Government Code, as added
  by this Act.
         SECTION 3.  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 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.