By: Hull, Rose, Isaac, Manuel, Frank H.B. No. 26
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to requiring contracts with Medicaid managed care
  organizations to permit the organizations to offer nutrition
  support services in lieu of other state Medicaid plan services.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 540.0272, Government Code, as effective
  April 1, 2025, is amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 540.0272.  CERTAIN SERVICES PERMITTED IN LIEU OF STATE
  MEDICAID PLAN SERVICES [OTHER MENTAL HEALTH OR SUBSTANCE USE
  DISORDER SERVICES]; ANNUAL REPORT.  (a) A contract to which this
  subchapter applies must contain language permitting the
  contracting Medicaid managed care organization to offer medically
  appropriate, cost-effective, evidence-based mental health or
  substance use services or nutrition support services from a list of
  services approved by the state Medicaid managed care advisory
  committee and included in the contract in lieu of [mental health or
  substance use disorder] services specified in the state Medicaid
  plan.  A recipient is not required to use a service from the list
  included in the contract in lieu of another [mental health or
  substance use disorder] service specified in the state Medicaid
  plan.
         (b)  The commission shall:
               (1)  prepare and submit to the legislature an annual
  report on the number of times during the preceding year a service
  from the list included in the contract is used; and
               (2)  consider the actual cost and use of any services
  from the list included in the contract that are offered by a
  Medicaid managed care organization when setting the capitation
  rates for that organization under the contract.
         (c)  In approving the list of nutrition support services that
  are permitted in lieu of services specified in the state Medicaid
  plan under this section, the state Medicaid managed care advisory
  committee shall ensure the list includes:
               (1)  nutrition counseling and instruction; and
               (2)  other nutrition support services provided to a
  recipient for a limited duration, as the commission determines, in
  coordination with nutrition counseling and instruction.
         SECTION 2.  The changes in law made by this Act apply to a
  contract entered into or renewed on or after the effective date of
  this Act.  A contract entered into or renewed before that date is
  governed by the law in effect on the date the contract was entered
  into or renewed, and that law is continued in effect for that
  purpose.
         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, 2025.