Amend CSSB 1 (house committee printing) in Article II of the bill, following the appropriations to the Health and Human Services Commission, by adding the following appropriately numbered rider:

____.   Expanding Healthcare Professionals in Medicaid. Out of funds appropriated above in Strategy B.1.1, Medicaid & CHIP Contracts & Administration, the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) will determine the feasibility of and develop an implementation plan for creating a partnership between the state Medicaid agency and state universities modeled after the Ohio Medicaid Technical Assistance and Policy Program or other similar program, that leverages academic expertise across Texas colleges of medicine and public and private universities to expand the number of participating healthcare professionals and improve healthcare quality in Medicaid. The implementation plan should include analysis of options to enhance the Medicaid healthcare workforce administrative and research functions and opportunities to qualify for administrative matching funds (50 percent) from the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services.