83R10316 JSL-D
By: Schwertner S.B. No. 1808
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the cost effects of expanding eligibility for medical
assistance under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care
Act.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 32, Human Resources Code,
is amended by adding Section 32.02473 to read as follows:
Sec. 32.02473. COST EFFECTS OF EXPANDED ELIGIBILITY FOR
MEDICAL ASSISTANCE UNDER PATIENT PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE
ACT. (a) In this section, "commission" means the Health and Human
Services Commission.
(b) If the commission expands eligibility for medical
assistance in accordance with and provides medical assistance using
federal matching funds made available under the Patient Protection
and Affordable Care Act (Pub. L. No. 111-148) as amended by the
Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Pub. L. No.
111-152) to provide that assistance, the commission, in cooperation
with the comptroller and Legislative Budget Board, shall conduct a
study regarding the cost effects of that expanded eligibility. The
study must identify:
(1) the estimated amount of uncompensated care costs
the state will save each state fiscal year by expanding that
eligibility;
(2) the estimated amount of health care costs hospital
districts in this state will save each state fiscal year by
expanding that eligibility; and
(3) based on the estimated cost savings identified
under Subdivision (2), the appropriate reduction of hospital
district tax rates that would reflect the reduced need for hospital
district tax revenue to support uncompensated care because of
expanding medical assistance eligibility.
(c) The commission shall report to the legislature the
information regarding the reduction of hospital district tax rates
identified in Subsection (b)(3) for consideration and appropriate
action by the legislature.
(d) The commission shall ensure that cost savings
identified under Subsection (b)(1) are reflected in each biennial
legislative appropriations request submitted to the Legislative
Budget Board by the commission or a health and human services
agency.
(e) In preparing a general appropriations bill as required
by Section 322.008, Government Code, the Legislative Budget Board
shall ensure that any proposed appropriation for providing health
care to residents of this state reflects the cost savings
identified under Subsection (b)(1) and the legislative
appropriations requests prepared in accordance with Subsection
(d).
SECTION 2. (a) Not later than the first anniversary of the
effective date of expanded eligibility criteria implemented in
accordance with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act
(Pub. L. No. 111-148) as amended by the Health Care and Education
Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Pub. L. No. 111-152) for the Medicaid
program, the Health and Human Services Commission, in cooperation
with the comptroller of public accounts and the Legislative Budget
Board, shall complete the study required under Section 32.02473(b),
Human Resources Code, as added by this Act, and make the report to
the legislature as required under Section 32.02473(c), Human
Resources Code, as added by this Act.
(b) Sections 32.02473(d) and (e), Human Resources Code, as
added by this Act, apply only to legislative appropriations
requests and general appropriations bills, respectively, prepared
on or after the date the Health and Human Services Commission
submits the report required by Section 32.02473(c), Human Resources
Code, as added by this Act.
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, 2013.