| 1 | 1 | | 87R2491 JG-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Blanco S.B. No. 1707 |
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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 certain group health care benefits and the promotion of |
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| 8 | 8 | | telehealth services for certain persons who are eligible for |
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| 9 | 9 | | Medicaid or the child health plan program. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 62, Health and Safety |
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| 12 | 12 | | Code, is amended by adding Section 62.061 to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 62.061. HEALTH SERVICES INITIATIVE TO PROMOTE |
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| 14 | 14 | | TELEHEALTH SERVICES. (a) In this section, "telehealth service" |
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| 15 | 15 | | has the meaning assigned by Section 111.001, Occupations Code. |
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| 16 | 16 | | (b) The commission shall develop and implement a health |
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| 17 | 17 | | services initiative designed to leverage federal money available |
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| 18 | 18 | | under the child health plan program under 42 U.S.C. Section |
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| 19 | 19 | | 1397ee(a)(1)(D)(ii) to fund technology or infrastructure needed to |
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| 20 | 20 | | promote the availability and use of telehealth services for |
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| 21 | 21 | | providing health care benefits in a group setting to a child: |
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| 22 | 22 | | (1) who is 18 years of age or younger; and |
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| 23 | 23 | | (2) whose annual household income is equal to or less |
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| 24 | 24 | | than 200 percent of the federal poverty level. |
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| 25 | 25 | | (c) To the extent possible, the health services initiative |
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| 26 | 26 | | must be designed to identify children who are eligible for the child |
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| 27 | 27 | | health plan program and children who are eligible for the medical |
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| 28 | 28 | | assistance program under Chapter 32, Human Resources Code. The |
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| 29 | 29 | | commission may automatically enroll an identified child in the |
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| 30 | 30 | | child health plan program or the medical assistance program, as |
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| 31 | 31 | | applicable. |
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| 32 | 32 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, |
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| 33 | 33 | | is amended by adding Section 32.0248 to read as follows: |
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| 34 | 34 | | Sec. 32.0248. MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FOR CERTAIN GROUP HEALTH |
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| 35 | 35 | | CARE BENEFITS; ENHANCED REIMBURSEMENT. (a) The commission shall |
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| 36 | 36 | | provide medical assistance at an enhanced reimbursement rate for: |
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| 37 | 37 | | (1) prenatal care benefits provided to a recipient who |
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| 38 | 38 | | is pregnant in a group setting with other pregnant women; and |
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| 39 | 39 | | (2) health care benefits provided to a recipient who |
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| 40 | 40 | | is younger than two years of age in a group setting with other |
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| 41 | 41 | | children of the same age group. |
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| 42 | 42 | | (b) In providing medical assistance under Subsection |
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| 43 | 43 | | (a)(1), the commission shall ensure prenatal care benefits provided |
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| 44 | 44 | | by the following provider types are reimbursable: |
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| 45 | 45 | | (1) a federally qualified health center as defined by |
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| 46 | 46 | | 42 U.S.C. Section 1396d(l)(2)(B); |
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| 47 | 47 | | (2) a rural health clinic as defined by 42 U.S.C. |
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| 48 | 48 | | Section 1396d(l)(1); and |
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| 49 | 49 | | (3) other facility-based providers. |
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| 50 | 50 | | SECTION 3. If before implementing any provision of this Act |
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| 51 | 51 | | a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a |
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| 52 | 52 | | federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, |
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| 53 | 53 | | the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or |
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| 54 | 54 | | authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the |
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| 55 | 55 | | waiver or authorization is granted. |
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| 56 | 56 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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