86R8434 KLA-D
 
  By: Beckley H.B. No. 2309
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to a Medicaid buy-in program for Medicaid recipients with
  increased household income from employment with a small business.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 531.024442 to read as follows:
         Sec. 531.024442.  MEDICAID BUY-IN PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN
  PERSONS WITH INCREASED HOUSEHOLD INCOME FROM EMPLOYMENT. (a) In
  this section, "small business" means a business with an annual
  gross revenue of $850,000 or less.
         (b)  The commission shall operate a Medicaid buy-in program
  for Medicaid recipients:
               (1)  who are not eligible for a Medicaid buy-in program
  established under Section 531.02444; and
               (2)  whose eligibility for Medicaid is otherwise being
  terminated solely because of an increase in household income
  received from employment with a small business.
         (c)  The program under this section must be substantively
  identical to the Medicaid buy-in programs for persons with
  disabilities established under Section 531.02444, except to the
  extent that programmatic differences are appropriate because of the
  populations served by the programs.
         (d)  The executive commissioner shall adopt rules for
  participation in the program under this section that provide for:
               (1)  eligibility requirements, including household
  income limits for participation; and
               (2)  requirements for program participants to pay
  premiums or cost-sharing payments.
         SECTION 2.  Not later than January 1, 2020, the executive
  commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall
  adopt the rules required by Section 531.024442, Government Code, as
  added by this Act, and the commission shall implement the program
  required by that section.
         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.