Bill Text: TX SB1707 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to certain group health care benefits and the promotion of telehealth services for certain persons who are eligible for Medicaid or the child health plan program.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-03-26 - Referred to Health & Human Services [SB1707 Detail]

Download: Texas-2021-SB1707-Introduced.html
  87R2491 JG-D
 
  By: Blanco S.B. No. 1707
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to certain group health care benefits and the promotion of
  telehealth services for certain persons who are eligible for
  Medicaid or the child health plan program.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 62, Health and Safety
  Code, is amended by adding Section 62.061 to read as follows:
         Sec. 62.061.  HEALTH SERVICES INITIATIVE TO PROMOTE
  TELEHEALTH SERVICES. (a) In this section, "telehealth service"
  has the meaning assigned by Section 111.001, Occupations Code.
         (b)  The commission shall develop and implement a health
  services initiative designed to leverage federal money available
  under the child health plan program under 42 U.S.C. Section
  1397ee(a)(1)(D)(ii) to fund technology or infrastructure needed to
  promote the availability and use of telehealth services for
  providing health care benefits in a group setting to a child:
               (1)  who is 18 years of age or younger; and
               (2)  whose annual household income is equal to or less
  than 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
         (c)  To the extent possible, the health services initiative
  must be designed to identify children who are eligible for the child
  health plan program and children who are eligible for the medical
  assistance program under Chapter 32, Human Resources Code. The
  commission may automatically enroll an identified child in the
  child health plan program or the medical assistance program, as
  applicable.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 32, Human Resources Code,
  is amended by adding Section 32.0248 to read as follows:
         Sec. 32.0248.  MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FOR CERTAIN GROUP HEALTH
  CARE BENEFITS; ENHANCED REIMBURSEMENT. (a) The commission shall
  provide medical assistance at an enhanced reimbursement rate for:
               (1)  prenatal care benefits provided to a recipient who
  is pregnant in a group setting with other pregnant women; and
               (2)  health care benefits provided to a recipient who
  is younger than two years of age in a group setting with other
  children of the same age group.
         (b)  In providing medical assistance under Subsection
  (a)(1), the commission shall ensure prenatal care benefits provided
  by the following provider types are reimbursable:
               (1)  a federally qualified health center as defined by
  42 U.S.C. Section 1396d(l)(2)(B);
               (2)  a rural health clinic as defined by 42 U.S.C.
  Section 1396d(l)(1); and
               (3)  other facility-based providers.
         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.
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