85R10780 EES-D     By: Price H.B. No. 3541       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to requirements for Medicaid managed care organizations   that provide behavioral health services through a third party or   subsidiary.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 533, Government Code, is   amended by adding Section 533.002553 to read as follows:          Sec. 533.002553.  BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES PROVIDED   THROUGH THIRD PARTY OR SUBSIDIARY. (a) In this section,   "behavioral health services" has the meaning assigned by Section   533.00255.          (b)  For a managed care organization that contracts with the   commission under this chapter and that provides behavioral health   services through a contract with a third party or an arrangement   with a subsidiary of the managed care organization, the commission   shall:                (1)  require the effective sharing and integration of   care coordination, service authorization, and utilization   management data between the managed care organization and the third   party or subsidiary;                (2)  encourage, to the extent feasible, the colocation   of physical health and behavioral health care coordination staff;                (3)  require warm call transfers between physical   health and behavioral health care coordination staff;                (4)  require the managed care organization and the   third party or subsidiary to implement joint rounds for physical   health and behavioral health services providers or some other   effective means for sharing clinical information; and                 (5)  ensure that the managed care organization makes   available to recipients enrolled in a managed care plan issued by   the managed care organization a seamless provider portal for both   physical health and behavioral health services providers.           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, 2017.