The House Committee on Human Services has released its interim report to the 89th Legislature. In addition to monitoring legislation passed in prior sessions, the report covers Medicaid contracting and support for Texans with disabilities. See below for a spotlight on recommendations from the report.
Monitor the implementation of relevant legislation passed by the 88th Legislature, including HB 1575 and SB 24
- Continue to monitor the implementation of legislation pertaining to the health and welfare of Texans.
- Review the biennial report required by HB 1575 to further understand the nonmedical needs that impact the health of pregnant women and their babies.
- Continue to monitor the transition of the previously named Prevention and Early Intervention services – renamed Family Support Services – from DFPS to HHSC, as instructed by SB 24.
- Continue to monitor the codification of the Thriving Texas Families program and the pilot program that the agency was instructed to conduct by SB 24.
Medicaid Contracting
- Consider legislation that provides the Health and Human Services Commission with additional clarifying direction on how to proceed in managed care procurements, including but not limited to specifications on market share and past performance.
- Consider legislation that requires existing performance of a health plan be taken into account during the Health and Human Services Commission procurement process.
- Consider legislation that establishes a preference for community and hospital district health plans during the Health and Human Services Commission procurement process.
Support for Texans with Intellectual Disabilities
- Consider legislation that takes additional steps towards prioritizing the needs of people on the waiver interest lists instead of basing their position solely on the date they applied for services.
- Consider legislation that creates a tiered waiver waitlist, determined by an individual’s urgency of needs.
- Direct HHSC to assess financial eligibility of an individual on the waitlist when it comes their turn for evaluation then, only after financial eligibility has been verified, require diagnostic and functional eligibility.
- Consider ways to carry out the functions intended by the Statewide Intellectual and Developmental Disability Coordinating Council that would have been created by House Bill 729 of the 88th Legislature in a manner not duplicative of existing entities.
