bill making Medicaid repay hospital food and parking for parents

The text as introduced · 392 words

89R2986 KKR-D

By: Simmons
H.B. No. 2924

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to Medicaid reimbursement for certain costs incurred while

a chronically ill Medicaid recipient who is a child receives

hospital care.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 32, Human Resources Code,

is amended by adding Section 32.0318 to read as follows:

Sec. 32.0318. REIMBURSEMENT FOR CERTAIN COSTS RELATED TO

HOSPITAL CARE FOR CHRONICALLY ILL CHILDREN. (a) In this section:

(1) "Hospital" means a hospital licensed under Chapter

241, Health and Safety Code.

(2) "Medicaid managed care organization" has the

meaning assigned by Section 521.0001, Government Code.

(3) "Recipient" means a recipient of medical

assistance regardless of whether that assistance is provided

through a fee-for-service or managed care model or through another

payment model or arrangement.

(b) Subject to the requirements of this subsection, the

commission shall ensure that medical assistance reimbursement is

provided for the costs of food purchased from and parking at a

hospital at which a recipient is hospitalized or otherwise

receiving health care services. To be eligible for medical

assistance reimbursement:

(1) the costs must be incurred and paid during the

recipient's period of hospitalization or receipt of health care

services by a parent, guardian, or caretaker of the recipient; and

(2) the recipient must:

(A) be younger than 18 years of age;

(B) have been diagnosed with a chronic illness

designated by the executive commissioner; and

(C) be hospitalized or receiving health care

services at the hospital for that chronic illness.

(c) The executive commissioner may require that a Medicaid

managed care organization provide reimbursement under this section

to a recipient who is enrolled in a Medicaid managed care plan

offered by the organization.

(d) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules necessary

to implement this section, including rules:

(1) designating the diagnoses considered chronic

illnesses for purposes of reimbursement under this section; and

(2) establishing reasonable limits on reimbursement

amounts.

SECTION 2. 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 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.