By: Bernal H.B. No. 512       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the expansion of eligibility for Medicaid to certain   persons under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care   Act.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1. Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, is amended by   adding Subchapter H to read as follows:   SUBCHAPTER H. EXPANSION OF ELIGIBILITY FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE          Sec. 32.351.  EXPANDED ELIGIBILITY FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE   UNDER PATIENT PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT. (a)   Notwithstanding any other law, the commission shall provide medical   assistance to all persons who apply for that assistance and for whom   federal matching funds are available under the Patient Protection   and Affordable Care Act (Pub. L. No. 111-148), as amended by the   Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (Pub. L.   No. 111-152), to provide that assistance.           (b)  The executive commissioner shall adopt rules regarding   the provision of medical assistance as required by this section.           Sec. 32.352.  ANNUAL REPORT ON EXPANDED ELIGIBILITY FOR   MEDICAL ASSISTANCE. Not later than December 1 of each year, the   commission shall report to the governor, the lieutenant governor,   the speaker of the house of representatives, and the standing   committees of the senate and the house of representatives having   primary jurisdiction over the medical assistance program on the   effects of expanding eligibility for medical assistance under   Section 32.351, including the effects on:                 (1)  the number of persons in this state who do not have   health benefits coverage;                 (2)  state health care costs, including costs relating   to programs funded with money appropriated out of the general   revenue fund;                 (3)  local health care costs; and                 (4)  charity care and uncompensated care costs for   hospitals.          SECTION 2.  Section 32.351, Human Resources Code, as added   by this Act, applies only to an initial determination or   recertification of eligibility of a person for medical assistance   under Chapter 32, Human Resources Code, made on or after January 1,   2024, regardless of the date the person applied for that   assistance.          SECTION 3.  As soon as possible after the effective date of   this Act, the executive commissioner of the Health and Human   Services Commission shall take all necessary actions to expand   eligibility for medical assistance under Chapter 32, Human   Resources Code, in accordance with Section 32.351, Human Resources   Code, as added by this Act, including notifying appropriate federal   agencies of that expanded eligibility. If before implementing any   provision of this Act a state agency determines that any other   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 4.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2024, but only   if the constitutional amendment proposed by the 88th Legislature,   Regular Session, 2023, requiring the state to expand eligibility   for Medicaid to all persons for whom federal matching funds are   available under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care   Act is approved by the voters. If that amendment is not approved by   the voters, this Act has no effect.