| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the automatic enrollment of certain women in Medicaid |
|
|
and the Healthy Texas Women program. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Sections 531.0997 and 531.09971 to read as |
|
|
follows: |
|
|
Sec. 531.0997. AUTOMATIC ENROLLMENT OF CERTAIN WOMEN IN |
|
|
HEALTHY TEXAS WOMEN PROGRAM. (a) In this section, "Healthy Texas |
|
|
Women program" means a program operated by the commission that is |
|
|
substantially similar to the demonstration project operated under |
|
|
former Section 32.0248, Human Resources Code, and that is intended |
|
|
to expand access to preventive health and family planning services |
|
|
for women in this state. |
|
|
(b) Subject to the eligibility requirements of the Healthy |
|
|
Texas Women program, the commission shall identify and |
|
|
automatically enroll in the program a woman who is a Medicaid |
|
|
recipient or enrollee in the child health plan program but who will |
|
|
lose eligibility for benefits under the applicable program because |
|
|
of the woman's age. The commission shall implement the automatic |
|
|
enrollment in a manner that: |
|
|
(1) ensures a seamless transition in the provision of |
|
|
services between Medicaid or the child health plan program, as |
|
|
applicable, and the Healthy Texas Women program; and |
|
|
(2) allows a woman to begin receiving services through |
|
|
the Healthy Texas Women program on the first day the woman is no |
|
|
longer eligible for Medicaid or the child health plan program, as |
|
|
applicable. |
|
|
(c) The commission shall, at the time a woman is |
|
|
automatically enrolled under Subsection (b) in the Healthy Texas |
|
|
Women program: |
|
|
(1) provide to the woman written notice that: |
|
|
(A) she has been automatically enrolled in the |
|
|
program but may disenroll; and |
|
|
(B) instructs the woman on how to disenroll from |
|
|
the program; and |
|
|
(2) provide to the woman information about the |
|
|
program, including the services provided under the program. |
|
|
(d) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules necessary |
|
|
to implement this section. |
|
|
Sec. 531.09971. AUTOMATIC ENROLLMENT OF CERTAIN WOMEN IN |
|
|
MEDICAID. (a) In this section, "Healthy Texas Women program" has |
|
|
the meaning assigned by Section 531.0997. |
|
|
(b) The commission shall identify and automatically enroll |
|
|
in Medicaid a woman who: |
|
|
(1) becomes pregnant while receiving services through |
|
|
the Healthy Texas Women program; and |
|
|
(2) is eligible for Medicaid. |
|
|
(c) The commission shall implement the automatic enrollment |
|
|
in a manner that: |
|
|
(1) ensures a seamless transition in the provision of |
|
|
services between the Healthy Texas Women program and Medicaid; and |
|
|
(2) allows a woman to begin receiving services through |
|
|
Medicaid on the first day the woman is enrolled in the program. |
|
|
(d) The commission shall, at the time a woman is |
|
|
automatically enrolled under Subsection (b) in Medicaid: |
|
|
(1) provide to the woman written notice that: |
|
|
(A) she has been automatically enrolled in the |
|
|
program but may disenroll; and |
|
|
(B) instructs the woman on how to disenroll from |
|
|
the program; and |
|
|
(2) provide to the woman information about the |
|
|
program, including the services provided under the program. |
|
|
(e) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules necessary |
|
|
to implement this section. |
|
|
SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply to a |
|
|
woman who is a recipient of medical assistance under Chapter 32, |
|
|
Human Resources Code, benefits through the child health plan |
|
|
program under Chapter 62, Health and Safety Code, or services |
|
|
through the Healthy Texas Women program, on or after the effective |
|
|
date of this Act, regardless of the date on which eligibility for |
|
|
medical assistance, the child health plan program, or the Healthy |
|
|
Texas Women program was determined. |
|
|
SECTION 3. If before implementing any provision of this Act |
|
|
a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization, including |
|
|
a state plan amendment, 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. |