| 1 | 1 | | 87R1929 JG-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Walle H.B. No. 415 |
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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 doula services, including Medicaid coverage of doula |
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| 8 | 8 | | services. |
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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 A, Chapter 32, Health and Safety |
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| 11 | 11 | | Code, is amended by adding Section 32.0212 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 32.0212. DOULA SERVICES AND OPTIONAL DOULA |
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| 13 | 13 | | CERTIFICATION. (a) In this section, "doula services" means |
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| 14 | 14 | | childbirth education and support services, including emotional and |
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| 15 | 15 | | physical support provided during pregnancy, labor, birth, and the |
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| 16 | 16 | | postpartum period or provided intermittently during pregnancy and |
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| 17 | 17 | | the postpartum period. |
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| 18 | 18 | | (a-1) The department, in consultation with the Texas |
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| 19 | 19 | | Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee and other |
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| 20 | 20 | | relevant entities, shall study methods for using doula services to |
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| 21 | 21 | | improve birth outcomes of women who face a disproportionately |
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| 22 | 22 | | greater risk of poor birth outcomes, including the feasibility of |
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| 23 | 23 | | providing Medicaid coverage for doula services. The department and |
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| 24 | 24 | | the review committee shall include the findings of the study and |
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| 25 | 25 | | legislative recommendations in the joint biennial report submitted |
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| 26 | 26 | | as required under Section 34.015 not later than September 1, 2022. |
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| 27 | 27 | | This subsection expires September 1, 2025. |
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| 28 | 28 | | (b) The department and the commission shall post on their |
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| 29 | 29 | | respective Internet websites informational resources regarding |
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| 30 | 30 | | doula services, including a description of doula services and the |
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| 31 | 31 | | benefits of using doula services. |
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| 32 | 32 | | (c) The department, in consultation with other relevant |
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| 33 | 33 | | entities, shall develop a statewide, uniform curriculum for an |
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| 34 | 34 | | optional doula certification. |
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| 35 | 35 | | SECTION 2. Section 32.024, Human Resources Code, is amended |
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| 36 | 36 | | by adding Subsections (nn) and (nn-1) to read as follows: |
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| 37 | 37 | | (nn) The commission may provide medical assistance |
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| 38 | 38 | | reimbursement for doula services, as defined by Section 32.0212, |
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| 39 | 39 | | Health and Safety Code. If the commission provides medical |
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| 40 | 40 | | assistance reimbursement for doula services, the executive |
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| 41 | 41 | | commissioner by rule shall determine the doula services to be |
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| 42 | 42 | | covered and any doula certification requirements. |
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| 43 | 43 | | (nn-1) The commission shall determine whether to provide |
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| 44 | 44 | | medical assistance reimbursement for doula services under |
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| 45 | 45 | | Subsection (nn) based on the findings and recommendations provided |
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| 46 | 46 | | in the report required by Section 32.0212(a-1), Health and Safety |
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| 47 | 47 | | Code. This subsection expires September 1, 2025. |
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| 48 | 48 | | SECTION 3. If before implementing any provision of this Act |
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| 49 | 49 | | a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a |
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| 50 | 50 | | federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, |
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| 51 | 51 | | the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or |
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| 52 | 52 | | authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the |
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| 53 | 53 | | waiver or authorization is granted. |
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| 54 | 54 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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