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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the automatic enrollment of certain women in Medicaid |
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and the Healthy Texas Women and CHIP perinatal programs. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Sections 531.0997 and 531.09971 to read as |
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follows: |
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Sec. 531.0997. AUTOMATIC ENROLLMENT OF CERTAIN WOMEN IN |
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HEALTHY TEXAS WOMEN PROGRAM. (a) In this section, "Healthy Texas |
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Women program" means a program operated by the commission that is |
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substantially similar to the demonstration project operated under |
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former Section 32.0248, Human Resources Code, and that is intended |
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to expand access to preventive health and family planning services |
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for women in this state. |
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(b) Subject to the eligibility requirements of the Healthy |
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Texas Women program, the commission shall identify and |
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automatically enroll in the program a woman who is a Medicaid |
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recipient or enrollee in the child health plan program but who will |
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lose eligibility for benefits under the applicable program because |
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of the woman's age. The commission shall implement the automatic |
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enrollment in a manner that: |
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(1) ensures a seamless transition in the provision of |
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services between Medicaid or the child health plan program, as |
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applicable, and the Healthy Texas Women program; and |
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(2) allows a woman to begin receiving services through |
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the Healthy Texas Women program on the first day the woman is no |
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longer eligible for Medicaid or the child health plan program, as |
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applicable. |
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(c) The commission shall, at the time a woman is |
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automatically enrolled under Subsection (b) in the Healthy Texas |
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Women program: |
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(1) provide to the woman written notice that: |
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(A) she has been automatically enrolled in the |
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program but may disenroll; and |
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(B) instructs the woman on how to disenroll from |
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the program; and |
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(2) provide to the woman information about the |
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program, including the services provided under the program. |
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(d) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules necessary |
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to implement this section. |
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Sec. 531.09971. AUTOMATIC ENROLLMENT OF CERTAIN WOMEN IN |
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MEDICAID OR CHIP PERINATAL PROGRAM. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "CHIP perinatal program" means the perinatal |
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program operated under the child health plan program established |
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under Chapter 62, Health and Safety Code. |
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(2) "Healthy Texas Women program" has the meaning |
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assigned by Section 531.0997. |
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(b) The commission shall identify and automatically enroll |
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in Medicaid or the CHIP perinatal program, as applicable, a woman |
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who: |
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(1) becomes pregnant while receiving services through |
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the Healthy Texas Women program; and |
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(2) is eligible for Medicaid or the CHIP perinatal |
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program. |
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(c) The commission shall implement the automatic enrollment |
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in a manner that: |
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(1) ensures a seamless transition in the provision of |
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services between the Healthy Texas Women program and Medicaid or |
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the CHIP perinatal program, as applicable; and |
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(2) allows a woman to begin receiving services through |
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Medicaid or the CHIP perinatal program, as applicable, on the first |
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day the woman is enrolled in the program. |
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(d) The commission shall, at the time a woman is |
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automatically enrolled under Subsection (b) in Medicaid or the CHIP |
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perinatal program, as applicable: |
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(1) provide to the woman written notice that: |
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(A) she has been automatically enrolled in the |
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applicable program but may disenroll; and |
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(B) instructs the woman on how to disenroll from |
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the program; and |
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(2) provide to the woman information about the |
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program, including the services provided under the program. |
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(e) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules necessary |
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to implement this section. |
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SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply to a |
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woman who is a recipient of medical assistance under Chapter 32, |
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Human Resources Code, benefits through the child health plan |
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program under Chapter 62, Health and Safety Code, or services |
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through the Healthy Texas Women program, on or after the effective |
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date of this Act, regardless of the date on which eligibility for |
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medical assistance, the child health plan program, or the Healthy |
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Texas Women program was determined. |
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SECTION 3. If before implementing any provision of this Act |
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a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization, including |
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a state plan amendment, from a federal agency is necessary for |
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implementation of that provision, the agency affected by the |
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provision shall request the waiver or authorization and may delay |
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implementing that provision until the waiver or authorization is |
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granted. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |