Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

Texas House Bill HB2376 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	81R9536 KLA-D
2	2	By: Turner of Harris H.B. No. 2376
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to eligibility for and strengthening outreach activities
8	8	under the child health plan program.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Section 62.056, Health and Safety Code, is
11	11	amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (f) and
12	12	(g) to read as follows:
13	13	(a) The commission shall strengthen the [conduct a]
14	14	community outreach and education campaign in a manner that is
15	15	designed to aggressively and proactively [to] provide information
16	16	relating to the availability of health benefits for children under
17	17	this chapter. The commission shall conduct the campaign in a
18	18	manner that:
19	19	(1) promotes enrollment in, and minimizes duplication
20	20	of effort among, all state-administered child health programs; and
21	21	(2) initially prioritizes enrolling in the program
22	22	children whose net family income is at or below 200 percent of the
23	23	federal poverty level and, after the commission establishes the
24	24	income eligibility level in accordance with Section 62.101(b-2),
25	25	subsequently prioritizes enrolling in the program children whose
26	26	net family income is at or below 300 percent of the federal poverty
27	27	level.
28	28	(f) To strengthen the community outreach and education
29	29	campaign as required by Subsection (a), the commission shall
30	30	establish a partnership with stakeholders who will provide outreach
31	31	and benefits application assistance that is supplemental to the
32	32	outreach conducted by contractors under Subsection (c) by:
33	33	(1) fostering the exchange of information regarding,
34	34	and promoting, best practices for obtaining health benefits
35	35	coverage for children;
36	36	(2) conducting the outreach in a manner consistent
37	37	with the priorities stated in Subsection (a)(2); and
38	38	(3) disseminating successful outreach models across
39	39	this state under which entities such as hospitals, school
40	40	districts, and local businesses partner to identify children
41	41	without health benefits coverage.
42	42	(g) The partnership established under Subsection (f) must
43	43	include entities that contract with the commission to perform
44	44	eligibility determination and enrollment functions,
45	45	community-based organizations that contract with the commission,
46	46	health benefit plan providers, Texas Health Steps program
47	47	contractors, health care providers, consumer advocates, and other
48	48	interested stakeholders.
49	49	SECTION 2. Section 62.101, Health and Safety Code, is
50	50	amended by amending Subsections (b) and (c) and adding Subsections
51	51	(b-2) and (d) to read as follows:
52	52	(b) Subject to Subsection (b-2), the [The] commission shall
53	53	establish income eligibility levels consistent with Title XXI,
54	54	Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Section 1397aa et seq.), as amended,
55	55	and any other applicable law or regulations, and subject to the
56	56	availability of appropriated money, so that a child who is younger
57	57	than 19 years of age and whose net family income is at or below 200
58	58	percent of the federal poverty level is eligible for health
59	59	benefits coverage under the program. In addition to the income
60	60	eligibility levels established under this subsection or Subsection
61	61	(b-2), the commission may establish eligibility standards
62	62	regarding the amount and types of allowable assets for a family
63	63	whose net family income is above 150 percent of the federal poverty
64	64	level.
65	65	(b-2) As soon as possible after the date the commission
66	66	determines that 80 percent or more of children in this state who are
67	67	eligible for health benefits coverage under the child health plan
68	68	program are enrolled in the program or in other adequate health
69	69	benefits plan coverage, the commission shall establish income
70	70	eligibility levels consistent with Title XXI, Social Security Act
71	71	(42 U.S.C. Section 1397aa et seq.), as amended, and any other
72	72	applicable law or regulations, and subject to the availability of
73	73	appropriated money, so that a child who is younger than 19 years of
74	74	age and whose net family income is at or below 300 percent of the
75	75	federal poverty level is eligible for health benefits coverage
76	76	under the program.
77	77	(c) The commissioner shall evaluate enrollment levels and
78	78	program impact [every six months during the first 12 months of
79	79	implementation and] at least annually [thereafter] and shall submit
80	80	a finding of fact to the Legislative Budget Board and the Governor's
81	81	Office of Budget and Planning as to:
82	82	(1) the adequacy of funding and the ability of the
83	83	program to sustain enrollment at the eligibility level established
84	84	by Subsection (b); and
85	85	(2) the percentage of children in this state who are
86	86	eligible for health benefits coverage under the child health plan
87	87	program and who are enrolled in the program or in other adequate
88	88	health benefits plan coverage.
89	89	(d) In the event that appropriated money is insufficient to
90	90	sustain enrollment at the authorized eligibility level, the
91	91	commissioner shall:
92	92	(1) suspend enrollment in the child health plan;
93	93	(2) establish a waiting list for applicants for
94	94	coverage; and
95	95	(3) establish a process for periodic or continued
96	96	enrollment of applicants in the child health plan program as the
97	97	availability of money allows.
98	98	SECTION 3. Section 62.1011, Health and Safety Code, is
99	99	amended to read as follows:
100	100	Sec. 62.1011. VERIFICATION OF INCOME. The commission
101	101	shall continue employing methods of verifying the net income of the
102	102	individuals considered in the calculation of an applicant's net
103	103	family income. The commission shall verify income under this
104	104	section unless the applicant reports a net family income that
105	105	exceeds the income eligibility level established under Section
106	106	62.101(b) or, if applicable, Section 62.101(b-2).
107	107	SECTION 4. If before implementing any provision of this Act
108	108	a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a
109	109	federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,
110	110	the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or
111	111	authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the
112	112	waiver or authorization is granted.
113	113	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.