TITLE: Relating to expanding eligibility for benefits under the Medicaid program

SUMMARY: Relating to expanding eligibility for benefits under the Medicaid program

FULL TEXT:
AN ACT relating to expanding eligibility for benefits under the Medicaid program BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, is amended by adding Subchapter Hto read as follows: SUBCHAPTER H. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE Sec. 32.351. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: (1) "Commission" means the Health and Human Services Commission. (2) "Executive commissioner" means the executive commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission. Sec. 32.352. 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 persons who apply for that assistance and for whom federal matching funds are 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 32.352, Human Resources Code, as added by this article, applies only to an initial determination or recertification of eligibility of a person for medical assistance under Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, made on or after January 1, 2016, regardless of the date the person 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, beginning January 1, 2016, and in accordance with Section 32.352, Human Resources Code, as added by this article, including notifying appropriate federal agencies of that expanded eligibility. SECTION 4. If before implementing any provision of this Act a state agency determines that a 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 immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.