86R10767 KKR-D
By: Ortega H.B. No. 1589
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to providing notification to certain pregnant women
regarding their eligibility for coverage under 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 Section 531.0995 to read as follows:
Sec. 531.0995. NOTIFICATION OF POTENTIAL AUTOMATIC
ENROLLMENT IN THE 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 Subsection (c), the executive commissioner
shall adopt rules requiring the commission to provide to a woman who
is a recipient of Medicaid during her pregnancy written notice
that:
(1) the woman has continuous coverage under Medicaid
through the second month after the pregnancy ends;
(2) if appropriate, the woman's eligibility for
enrollment in the Healthy Texas Women program will be determined
approximately 30 days after the date the woman's pregnancy ends;
and
(3) if the woman is determined eligible for the
Healthy Texas Women program:
(A) she will be automatically enrolled in the
program; and
(B) her coverage under the program begins on the
first day following the date her Medicaid coverage ends.
(c) The executive commissioner shall consult with the
Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Task Force established under
Chapter 34, Health and Safety Code, to determine when and the manner
by which the notice required under Subsection (b) should be
provided to women. If feasible, the commission shall provide the
notice to a woman before the third trimester of her pregnancy. This
subsection expires January 1, 2020.
SECTION 2. Not later than January 1, 2020, the executive
commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission shall
adopt rules required by Section 531.0995, Government 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, 2019.