H.B. No. 25
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to a pilot program for providing services to certain women
  and children under the Medicaid medical transportation program.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
  amended by adding Section 531.024141 to read as follows:
         Sec. 531.024141.  PILOT PROGRAM FOR PROVIDING MEDICAL
  TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM SERVICES TO PREGNANT WOMEN AND NEW MOTHERS.
  (a)  In this section:
               (1)  "Demand response transportation services" means
  medical transportation program services that are provided by
  dispatching a transportation service provider's vehicle in
  response to a request from a client or by a shared one-way trip.
               (2)  "Managed transportation organization" has the
  meaning assigned by Section 533.00257.
               (3)  "Medicaid managed care organization" means a
  managed care organization as defined by Section 533.001 that
  contracts with the commission under Chapter 533 to provide health
  care services to Medicaid recipients.
               (4)  "Medical transportation program" has the meaning
  assigned by Section 531.02414.
         (b)  The commission, in collaboration with the Maternal
  Mortality and Morbidity Task Force established under Chapter 34,
  Health and Safety Code, shall develop and, not later than September
  1, 2020, implement a pilot program in at least one health care
  service region, as defined by Section 533.001, that allows for a
  managed transportation organization that participates in the pilot
  program to arrange for and provide medical transportation program
  services to:
               (1)  a woman who is enrolled in the STAR Medicaid
  managed care program during the woman's pregnancy and after she
  delivers; and
               (2)  the child of a woman described by Subdivision (1)
  who accompanies the woman.
         (c)  A managed transportation organization that participates
  in the pilot program shall:
               (1)  arrange for and provide the medical transportation
  program services described by Subsection (b) in a manner that does
  not result in additional costs to Medicaid or the commission; 
               (2)  arrange for and provide demand response
  transportation services, including, to the extent allowed by law,
  through a transportation network company as defined by Section
  2402.001, Occupations Code, to a woman described by Subsection (b)
  if:
                     (A)  the request for transportation services is
  made during a period of time determined by commission rules before
  the woman requires transportation in order to receive a covered
  health care service; or 
                     (B)  the woman receiving medical transportation
  program services needs to travel directly to and from a location to
  receive a covered health care service and cannot be a participant in
  a shared trip; and
               (3)  ensure that the managed transportation
  organization and the managed care organization through which a
  woman described by Subsection (b) receives health care services
  effectively share information and coordinate services for the
  woman.
         (d)  In developing the pilot program, the commission shall
  ensure that a managed transportation organization participating in
  the pilot program provides medical transportation services in a
  safe and efficient manner.
         (e)  Not later than December 1, 2020, the commission shall
  report to the legislature on the implementation of the pilot
  program.
         (f)  The commission shall evaluate the results of the pilot
  program and determine whether the program:
               (1)  is cost-effective;
               (2)  improves the efficiency and quality of services
  provided under the medical transportation program; and
               (3)  is effective in:
                     (A)  increasing access to prenatal and postpartum
  health care services;
                     (B)  reducing pregnancy-related complications;
  and 
                     (C)  decreasing the rate of missed appointments
  for covered health care services by women enrolled in the STAR
  Medicaid managed care program.
         (g)  Not later than December 1, 2022, the commission shall
  submit a report to the legislature on the results of the pilot
  program. The commission shall include in the report a
  recommendation regarding whether the pilot program should
  continue, be expanded, or terminate.
         (h)  The executive commissioner:
               (1)  shall adopt rules specifying the number of days or
  hours before transportation services are needed that a request for
  the services must be made for purposes of Subsection (c)(2)(A); and
               (2)  may adopt other rules to implement this section.
         (i)  This section expires September 1, 2023.
         SECTION 2.  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 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 25 was passed by the House on April
  16, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 100, Nays 32, 2 present, not
  voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
  No. 25 on May 22, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 114, Nays 29, 2
  present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 25 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 16, 2019, by the following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays
  1.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor