Bill Text: TX HB415 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to doula services, including Medicaid coverage of doula services.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-02-25 - Referred to Public Health [HB415 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HB415-Introduced.html
| 87R1929 JG-D | ||
| By: Walle | H.B. No. 415 | |
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| relating to doula services, including Medicaid coverage of doula | ||
| services. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 32, Health and Safety | ||
| Code, is amended by adding Section 32.0212 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 32.0212. DOULA SERVICES AND OPTIONAL DOULA | ||
| CERTIFICATION. (a) In this section, "doula services" means | ||
| childbirth education and support services, including emotional and | ||
| physical support provided during pregnancy, labor, birth, and the | ||
| postpartum period or provided intermittently during pregnancy and | ||
| the postpartum period. | ||
| (a-1) The department, in consultation with the Texas | ||
| Maternal Mortality and Morbidity Review Committee and other | ||
| relevant entities, shall study methods for using doula services to | ||
| improve birth outcomes of women who face a disproportionately | ||
| greater risk of poor birth outcomes, including the feasibility of | ||
| providing Medicaid coverage for doula services. The department and | ||
| the review committee shall include the findings of the study and | ||
| legislative recommendations in the joint biennial report submitted | ||
| as required under Section 34.015 not later than September 1, 2022. | ||
| This subsection expires September 1, 2025. | ||
| (b) The department and the commission shall post on their | ||
| respective Internet websites informational resources regarding | ||
| doula services, including a description of doula services and the | ||
| benefits of using doula services. | ||
| (c) The department, in consultation with other relevant | ||
| entities, shall develop a statewide, uniform curriculum for an | ||
| optional doula certification. | ||
| SECTION 2. Section 32.024, Human Resources Code, is amended | ||
| by adding Subsections (nn) and (nn-1) to read as follows: | ||
| (nn) The commission may provide medical assistance | ||
| reimbursement for doula services, as defined by Section 32.0212, | ||
| Health and Safety Code. If the commission provides medical | ||
| assistance reimbursement for doula services, the executive | ||
| commissioner by rule shall determine the doula services to be | ||
| covered and any doula certification requirements. | ||
| (nn-1) The commission shall determine whether to provide | ||
| medical assistance reimbursement for doula services under | ||
| Subsection (nn) based on the findings and recommendations provided | ||
| in the report required by Section 32.0212(a-1), Health and Safety | ||
| Code. This subsection expires September 1, 2025. | ||
| SECTION 3. 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 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. | ||
