89R2215 MM-D
By: Alvarado, et al. S.B. No. 255
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the expansion of eligibility for Medicaid to certain
individuals under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable
Care Act.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 32, Human Resources Code,
is amended by adding Section 32.02473 to read as follows:
Sec. 32.02473. EXPANDED ELIGIBILITY FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE
UNDER PATIENT PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT. (a)
Notwithstanding any other law, the commission shall provide medical
assistance to all individuals who apply for that assistance and for
whom federal matching money is available under the Patient
Protection and Affordable Care Act (Pub. L. No. 111-148), as
amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010
(Pub. L. No. 111-152), to provide that assistance.
(b) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules regarding
the provision of medical assistance as required by this section.
SECTION 2. Section 32.02473, Human Resources Code, as added
by this Act, applies only to an initial determination or
recertification of eligibility of an individual for medical
assistance under Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, made on or after
the date the section is implemented, regardless of the date the
individual applied for that assistance.
SECTION 3. As soon as possible after the effective date of
this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human
Services Commission shall take all necessary actions to expand
eligibility for medical assistance under Chapter 32, Human
Resources Code, in accordance with Section 32.02473, Human
Resources Code, as added by this Act, including notifying
appropriate federal agencies of that expanded eligibility.
SECTION 4. If before implementing any provision of this Act
a state agency determines that any other waiver or authorization
from a federal agency is necessary for implementation of that
provision, the agency affected by the provision shall request the
waiver or authorization and may delay implementing that provision
until the waiver or authorization is granted.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.