| 4 | 5 | | |
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| 5 | 6 | | |
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| 6 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 7 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 8 | 9 | | relating to a pilot program to provide Medicaid coverage of doula |
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| 9 | 10 | | services. |
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| 10 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, |
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| 12 | 13 | | is amended by adding Section 32.02481 to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 14 | | Sec. 32.02481. MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PILOT PROGRAM FOR DOULA |
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| 14 | 15 | | SERVICES. (a) In this section: |
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| 15 | 16 | | (1) "Doula" means a nonmedical birthing coach who |
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| 16 | 17 | | provides doula services and meets the qualifications for a doula as |
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| 17 | 18 | | determined by commission rule. |
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| 18 | 19 | | (2) "Doula services" means nonmedical childbirth |
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| 19 | 20 | | education, coaching, and support services, including emotional and |
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| 20 | 21 | | physical support provided during pregnancy, labor, delivery, and |
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| 21 | 22 | | the postpartum period, or provided intermittently during pregnancy |
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| 22 | 23 | | and the postpartum period. |
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| 23 | 24 | | (b) The commission shall establish a pilot program to |
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| 24 | 25 | | provide medical assistance reimbursement for doula services |
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| 25 | 26 | | provided by a doula. The executive commissioner, in consultation |
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| 26 | 27 | | with the Perinatal Advisory Council established under Section |
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| 27 | 28 | | 241.187, Health and Safety Code, by rule shall determine the |
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| 28 | 29 | | qualifications necessary for an individual to be considered a doula |
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| 29 | 30 | | and the doula services to be covered under the pilot program. |
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| 30 | 31 | | (c) Not later than September 1, 2022, the commission shall |
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| 31 | 32 | | implement the pilot program in: |
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| 32 | 33 | | (1) the most populous county in this state; and |
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| 33 | 34 | | (2) the county with the greatest maternal health |
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| 34 | 35 | | support needs, as determined by the county's maternal and infant |
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| 35 | 36 | | mortality rates and the number of births in the county by Medicaid |
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| 36 | 37 | | recipients. |
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| 37 | 38 | | (d) The commission shall prescribe eligibility requirements |
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| 38 | 39 | | for participation in the pilot program. |
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| 39 | 40 | | (e) Not later than September 1 of each year during the |
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| 40 | 41 | | operation of the pilot program, the commission shall prepare and |
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| 41 | 42 | | publish on the commission's Internet website a report evaluating: |
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| 42 | 43 | | (1) the total costs during the preceding year of |
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| 43 | 44 | | providing medical assistance reimbursement for doula services |
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| 44 | 45 | | under the pilot program; and |
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| 45 | 46 | | (2) the impact on birth outcomes for women who receive |
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| 46 | 47 | | doula services under the pilot program. |
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| 47 | 48 | | (f) Not later than September 1, 2026, the commission shall |
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| 48 | 49 | | prepare and submit to the legislature a written report that: |
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| 49 | 50 | | (1) summarizes the results of the pilot program, |
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| 50 | 51 | | including the effectiveness of the pilot program in reducing |
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| 51 | 52 | | maternal mortality rates and racial disparities in health outcomes |
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| 52 | 53 | | in the geographic areas of this state in which the pilot program |
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| 53 | 54 | | operates; |
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| 54 | 55 | | (2) includes feedback from participating doulas and |
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| 55 | 56 | | recipients who received doula services under the pilot program; and |
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| 56 | 57 | | (3) includes a recommendation on whether the pilot |
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| 57 | 58 | | program should be continued, expanded, or terminated. |
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| 58 | 59 | | (g) The pilot program terminates and this section expires |
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| 59 | 60 | | September 1, 2027. |
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| 60 | 61 | | SECTION 2. Notwithstanding Section 32.02481(e), Human |
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| 61 | 62 | | Resources Code, as added by this Act, the Health and Human Services |
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| 62 | 63 | | Commission shall prepare and publish the first report required by |
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| 63 | 64 | | that section not later than September 1, 2023. |
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| 64 | 65 | | SECTION 3. If before implementing any provision of this Act |
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| 65 | 66 | | a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a |
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| 66 | 67 | | federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, |
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| 67 | 68 | | the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or |
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| 68 | 69 | | authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the |
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| 69 | 70 | | waiver or authorization is granted. |
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| 70 | 71 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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