| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the expansion of eligibility for Medicaid to all |
|
|
persons for whom federal matching money is available. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, |
|
|
is amended by adding Section 32.02473 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 32.02473. EXPANDED ELIGIBILITY FOR MEDICAL |
|
|
ASSISTANCE. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, the commission |
|
|
shall provide medical assistance to all persons who apply for that |
|
|
assistance and for whom federal matching money is available. |
|
|
(b) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules regarding |
|
|
the provision of medical assistance as required by this section. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 32.02473, Human Resources Code, as added |
|
|
by this Act, applies only to an initial determination or |
|
|
recertification of eligibility of a person for medical assistance |
|
|
under Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, made on or after the date |
|
|
the section is implemented, regardless of the date the person |
|
|
applied for that assistance. |
|
|
SECTION 3. As soon as possible after the effective date of |
|
|
this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
|
|
Services Commission shall take all necessary actions to expand |
|
|
eligibility for medical assistance under Chapter 32, Human |
|
|
Resources Code, in accordance with Section 32.02473, Human |
|
|
Resources Code, as added by this Act, including notifying |
|
|
appropriate federal agencies of that expanded eligibility. If |
|
|
before implementing any provision of this Act a state agency |
|
|
determines that any other 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 January 1, 2022, but only |
|
|
if the constitutional amendment proposed by the 87th Legislature, |
|
|
Regular Session, 2021, requiring the state to expand eligibility |
|
|
for Medicaid to all persons for whom federal matching money is |
|
|
available is approved by the voters. If that amendment is not |
|
|
approved by the voters, this Act has no effect. |