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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
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WHEREAS, the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC), |
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with the support of the Legislature, has created an innovative |
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health care safety net through the Health Care Transformation and |
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Quality Improvement 1115 waiver; and |
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WHEREAS, the 1115 waiver has facilitated access to vital |
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healthcare and mental health services, as well as substance abuse |
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treatment, through the Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment |
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(DSRIP) program; and |
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WHEREAS, the DSRIP agreement with the Centers for Medicare |
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and Medicaid Services (CMS) for approximately $3 billion in annual |
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funding permanently ends in 2021; and |
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WHEREAS, it is critical to negotiate a new waiver-based |
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solution based on Texas conservative principles that retains the |
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healthcare safety net for individuals without access to affordable |
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health insurance, most of whom come from families with at least one |
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breadwinner; and |
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WHEREAS, mental health centers and rural hospitals are |
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particularly vulnerable to the increase in uncompensated care that |
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will occur without a solution to the loss of DSRIP funding; |
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WHEREAS, CMS has asked for innovative proposals from state |
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governments that increase budget flexibility, promote personal |
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responsibility, and foster a cost-effective approach to treating |
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mental illness and pre-existing conditions while increasing access |
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to preventive and maternal health services; and |
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WHEREAS, while not a pre-requisite for a waiver-based |
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solution to the loss of DSRIP funding, it is beneficial for the |
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Legislature to demonstrate to HHSC and CMS its support for a |
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solution that maximizes federal funding while not expanding state |
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Medicaid enrollment or creating a new budget entitlement; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, that the 86th Legislature of the State of Texas |
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expresses its intent that HHSC negotiate with CMS to leverage |
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enhanced federal funding and the CMS commitment to state |
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flexibility to develop a non-entitlement coverage model based on |
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the private market through a new waiver or a revision of the current |
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waiver; and be it further |
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RESOLVED, that the Legislature expresses its intent that the |
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new or revised waiver be renegotiated within a timeframe that |
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minimizes or eliminates any disruption to the healthcare safety net |
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caused by the loss of DSRIP funding. |