Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2685 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	87R8203 JG-D
2	2	By: Thierry H.B. No. 2685
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to a pilot program to provide Medicaid coverage for doula
8	8	services.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is
11	11	amended by adding Section 531.0997 to read as follows:
12	12	Sec. 531.0997. MEDICAID PILOT PROGRAM FOR DOULA SERVICES.
13	13	(a) In this section:
14	14	(1) "Doula" means a nonmedical birthing coach who
15	15	provides doula services.
16	16	(2) "Doula services" means childbirth education and
17	17	support services, including emotional and physical support
18	18	provided during pregnancy, labor, delivery, and the postpartum
19	19	period, or provided intermittently during pregnancy and the
20	20	postpartum period.
21	21	(b) To reduce maternal mortality rates and racial
22	22	disparities in health outcomes, the commission shall establish a
23	23	pilot program to provide doula services to Medicaid recipients,
24	24	regardless of whether those recipients receive services through a
25	25	Medicaid managed care or fee-for-service delivery model.
26	26	(c) The commission shall implement the pilot program in the
27	27	following phases and geographic areas of this state:
28	28	(1) beginning not later than September 1, 2022, the
29	29	commission shall implement the pilot program in the most populous
30	30	county in this state; and
31	31	(2) beginning not later than September 1, 2023, the
32	32	commission shall implement the pilot program in the county with the
33	33	greatest maternal health support needs, as determined by the
34	34	county's maternal and infant mortality rates and the number of
35	35	births in the county by Medicaid recipients during a period in which
36	36	provider capacity for the county has been reached.
37	37	(d) The commission shall prescribe eligibility requirements
38	38	for participation in the pilot program.
39	39	(e) The commission shall ensure that Medicaid
40	40	reimbursement is provided to a doula who provides doula services to
41	41	an eligible participant under the pilot program for the following:
42	42	(1) up to four prenatal visits;
43	43	(2) the provision of support services during labor and
44	44	delivery; and
45	45	(3) up to four postpartum visits.
46	46	(f) Not later than September 1, 2028, the commission shall
47	47	prepare and submit to the legislature a written report that:
48	48	(1) summarizes the results of the pilot program,
49	49	including the effectiveness of the pilot program in reducing
50	50	maternal mortality rates and racial disparities in health outcomes
51	51	in the geographic areas of this state in which the pilot program
52	52	operates;
53	53	(2) includes feedback from participating doulas and
54	54	recipients who received doula services under the pilot program; and
55	55	(3) includes a recommendation on whether the pilot
56	56	program should be continued, expanded, or terminated.
57	57	(g) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules to
58	58	implement this section, including rules outlining the
59	59	qualifications necessary for an individual to participate in the
60	60	pilot program as a doula and the scope of doula services to be
61	61	provided under the pilot program.
62	62	(h) The pilot program terminates and this section expires
63	63	September 1, 2030.
64	64	SECTION 2. If before implementing any provision of this Act
65	65	a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a
66	66	federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,
67	67	the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or
68	68	authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the
69	69	waiver or authorization is granted.
70	70	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.