Highlights 77th Texas Legislature - Senate

HEALTH AND HUMAN
SERVICES
CHIP
ERVICES/Medicaid /Medicaid and
77 th Texas Legislature
Requires DHS to establish a provider reimbursement methodology that recognizes and rewards high
volume providers, with an emphasis on providers located in areas of the state where Medicaid payments
are vital to the health care delivery system.
Requires DHS to determine whether a Medicaid eligible person is also eligible to enroll in a group health
benefit plan.
Requires a group health plan to enroll a non-eligible Medicaid family member of a Medicaid eligible
recipient if enrolling the family member allows the eligible Medicaid recipient to participate in the group
plan.
Requires DHS to establish certain demonstration projects.
Requires DHS to develop and implement a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). In
developing a PACE program, DHS is required to use the Bienvivir Senior Health Services of El Paso as a
model for the program.
Allows the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to develop certain strategies for improving the
Medicaid program. This can include transferring authority relating to the administration of Medicaid for
improved Medicaid service delivery, increased administrative efficiency, increased accountability, and costs
savings to the Medicaid program. HHSC is required to consult with various stakeholders interested in
Medicaid when developing and implementing strategies for improving Medicaid.
Establishes a Medicaid legislative oversight committee with certain powers and responsibilities.
Sets forth HHSC’s responsibilities related to Medicaid enrollment and provision of services.
Allows HHSC to develop a health care delivery system that restructures the delivery of health care services
provided under the Medicaid program and sets out certain criteria for developing that system.
Task Force on Rate-Setting Methodologies for Medicaid and CHIP - S.B. 1299
by Senators Lucio and Shapleigh
House Sponsors: Representatives Coleman and Capelo
Creates the Task Force on Rate-Setting Methodologies for Medicaid Program and State Child Health Plan
Program.
Requires the commissioner of health and human services to appoint a task force to examine and evaluate
rate-setting methodologies for the Medicaid and child health plan programs.
Requires the task force to research and evaluate the rate-setting methodologies for the Medicaid and the
child health plan programs and, not later than December 1, 2002, produce a report recommending ways to
Senate Research Center 144