| 1 | 1 | | 86R14206 MM-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: West S.B. No. 1839 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the expansion of eligibility for Medicaid to certain |
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| 8 | 8 | | veterans and their families. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, |
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| 11 | 11 | | is amended by adding Section 32.02472 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 32.02472. EXPANDED ELIGIBILITY FOR MEDICAL |
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| 13 | 13 | | ASSISTANCE. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, the commission |
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| 14 | 14 | | shall provide medical assistance to all persons: |
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| 15 | 15 | | (1) who are a veteran, as defined by Section 53.001, |
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| 16 | 16 | | the spouse of a veteran, or the dependent child of a veteran; |
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| 17 | 17 | | (2) who apply for the assistance; and |
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| 18 | 18 | | (3) for whom federal matching funds are available. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (b) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules necessary |
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| 20 | 20 | | to implement this section. |
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| 21 | 21 | | SECTION 2. Section 32.02472, Human Resources Code, as added |
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| 22 | 22 | | by this Act, applies only to an initial determination or |
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| 23 | 23 | | recertification of eligibility of a person for medical assistance |
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| 24 | 24 | | under Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, made on or after the date |
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| 25 | 25 | | the section is implemented, regardless of the date the person |
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| 26 | 26 | | applied for that assistance. |
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| 27 | 27 | | SECTION 3. As soon as possible after the effective date of |
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| 28 | 28 | | this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human |
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| 29 | 29 | | Services Commission shall take all necessary actions to expand |
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| 30 | 30 | | eligibility for medical assistance under Chapter 32, Human |
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| 31 | 31 | | Resources Code, in accordance with Section 32.02472, Human |
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| 32 | 32 | | Resources Code, as added by this Act, including notifying |
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| 33 | 33 | | appropriate federal agencies of that expanded eligibility. |
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| 34 | 34 | | SECTION 4. If before implementing any provision of this Act |
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| 35 | 35 | | a state agency determines that any other waiver or authorization |
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| 36 | 36 | | from a federal agency is necessary for implementation of that |
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| 37 | 37 | | provision, the agency affected by the provision shall request the |
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| 38 | 38 | | waiver or authorization and may delay implementing that provision |
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| 39 | 39 | | until the waiver or authorization is granted. |
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| 40 | 40 | | SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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