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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the development of a dental services benefit under |
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Medicaid for adult recipients with disabilities and a pilot program |
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to provide those services. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 32.0545 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 32.0545. DENTAL SERVICES BENEFIT FOR CERTAIN |
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RECIPIENTS; PILOT PROGRAM. (a) The commission shall develop a |
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dental services benefit under the medical assistance program for |
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adult recipients with disabilities. The dental services benefit |
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must be: |
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(1) cost-effective and designed to achieve cost |
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savings; |
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(2) designed to reduce emergency room visits by or |
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hospitalizations of adult recipients with disabilities resulting |
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from a lack of access to dental services; and |
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(3) designed to meet the individual needs of adult |
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recipients with disabilities. |
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(b) In developing the dental services benefit under this |
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section, the commission shall evaluate dental services benefits |
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provided under medical assistance waiver programs authorized under |
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Section 1115 of the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Section |
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1315) and dental services benefits provided as a value-added |
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service under the Medicaid managed care delivery model. |
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(c) Not later than September 1, 2020, the commission shall |
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prepare and submit to the legislature a written report on the dental |
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services benefit developed under this section. |
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(d) The commission may establish and operate a pilot program |
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to provide the dental services benefit developed under this section |
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in one or more geographic areas of this state. The pilot program |
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must conclude not later than September 1, 2022. If the commission |
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establishes the pilot program under this section, the commission |
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shall prepare and submit to the legislature a written report that |
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summarizes the results of the pilot program not later than December |
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1, 2022. |
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(e) This section expires September 1, 2023. |
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SECTION 2. If before implementing any provision of this Act |
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a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a |
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federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision, |
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the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or |
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authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the |
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waiver or authorization is granted. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |