Monitoring the Session

HB 5231

Manuel Medicaid Bill Puts A Four-Year Limit On Waste Clawbacks

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review
Rep. Christian ManuelDHouse 22
Both charges, and why
Caption mismatch

THE TEXT

…“fourth anniversary of the date the payment was made to the provider.”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption promises only "clarity and certainty" in Medicaid. It never says the bill caps how far back the state can recover payments tied to waste or abuse.

Caption mismatch
Carve-out

THE TEXT

…“Medicaid provider as a result of waste or abuse discovered after the”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The recovery cutoff protects one class, Medicaid providers. Once four years pass, they keep payments later found to be waste or abuse.

Carve-out

Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to clarity and certainty in the administration and operation of Medicaid.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Caption: “clarity and certainty.” Bill: providers keep waste and abuse payments after four years!

The bill requires the state health commission to decide any new limit or exclusion on Medicaid benefits through formal public rulemaking, going forward only. It also bars the state Medicaid inspector general from clawing back payments to Medicaid providers for waste or abuse found more than four years after the payment was made. The four-year cutoff applies to any recovery sought on or after September 1, 2025, no matter how old the payment is, so older overpayments stop being collectible.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 14, 2025 and referred to the House Human Services committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB5231 · 2025-03-14

SOLD BY

ITEM

relating to clarity and certainty in the administration and operation of Medicaid.

WHAT IT DOES

Caption: “clarity and certainty.” Bill: providers keep waste and abuse payments after four years!

The bill requires the state health commission to decide any new limit or exclusion on Medicaid benefits through formal public rulemaking, going forward only. It also bars the state Medicaid inspector general from clawing back payments to Medicaid providers for waste or abuse found more than four years after the payment was made. The four-year cutoff applies to any recovery sought on or after September 1, 2025, no matter how old the payment is, so older overpayments stop being collectible.

CHARGES

[x] CAPTION MISMATCHanalysis confidence 55%

THE TEXT

…“fourth anniversary of the date the payment was made to the provider.”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption promises only "clarity and certainty" in Medicaid. It never says the bill caps how far back the state can recover payments tied to waste or abuse.

[x] CARVE-OUTanalysis confidence 50%

THE TEXT

…“Medicaid provider as a result of waste or abuse discovered after the”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The recovery cutoff protects one class, Medicaid providers. Once four years pass, they keep payments later found to be waste or abuse.

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Human Services
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Donors

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Jul 23, 2024 to Jun 30, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

ENPAC Texas$5,000.00

ENPAC Texas

$5,000.00

Cash
$5,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$5,000.00

Also funds 27 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 26, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Nov 10, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101033978.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$5,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$5,000.00

Cash
$5,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$5,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jul 7, 2025 to Oct 1, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101033978.

Texas Sands PAC$4,000.00

Texas Sands PAC

$4,000.00

Cash
$4,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$4,000.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on May 18, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101061945.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

×

ENPAC Texas

$5,000.00

Cash
$5,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$5,000.00

Also funds 27 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 26, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Nov 10, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101033978.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$5,000.00

Cash
$5,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$5,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jul 7, 2025 to Oct 1, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101033978.

×

Texas Sands PAC

$4,000.00

Cash
$4,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$4,000.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · on May 18, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101061945.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Mar 14, 2025

04/07/2025 H Referred to Human Services: Apr 7 2025 5:28PM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Human Services · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

SB 2457 by Hughes (identical)

Subjects

Human Services--Medical Assistance

MEDICAID

HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION

INSPECTOR GENERAL FOR HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Text

The text as introduced · 268 words

By: Manuel
H.B. No. 5231

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to clarity and certainty in the administration and

operation of Medicaid.

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

SECTION 1. Section 32.0231, Human Resources Code, is

amended by adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows:

(a-1) The commission through the rulemaking process

established by Chapter 2001, Government Code, shall on a

prospective basis determine whether to exclude or limit a benefit

under the medical assistance program, unless the exclusion or

limitation is required by state or federal law.

SECTION 2. Subchapter K, Chapter 544, Government Code, as

effective April 1, 2025, is amended by adding Subsection (j) to

Section 544.0502 to read as follows:

(j) Notwithstanding other law, the office of the inspector

general may not recover under subsection (f) a payment made to a

Medicaid provider as a result of waste or abuse discovered after the

fourth anniversary of the date the payment was made to the provider.

SECTION 3. Section 544.05021, Government Code, as added by

this Act, applies to a payment for which recovery is sought on or

after the effective date of this Act, regardless of the date on

which the payment was made.

SECTION 4. If before implementing any provision of this Act

a state agency determines 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 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.