85R13333 KKR-D     By: González of El Paso H.B. No. 3146       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to a pilot program for providing services to certain   children under the Medicaid medical transportation program.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 531, Government Code, is   amended by adding Section 531.024141 to read as follows:          Sec. 531.024141.  PILOT PROJECT FOR PROVIDING MEDICAL   TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM SERVICES FOR CHILDREN ACCOMPANYING PREGNANT   MOTHERS. (a) The commission shall develop and implement a pilot   program to enable an eligible child described by Subsection (b) to   receive medical transportation program services and to provide   reimbursement for those services in order to:                (1)  increase access to prenatal and postpartum care;                (2)  reduce pregnancy-related complications;                (3)  improve health outcomes for pregnant women and   infants; and                 (4)  reduce the maternal mortality and morbidity rate.          (b)  A child is eligible for inclusion in the pilot program   established under this section:                (1)  if the child's mother is:                      (A)  a recipient of Medicaid during a pregnancy;   and                      (B)  is using medical transportation program   services to travel to and from a covered health care service related   to the pregnancy, including postpartum care; and                (2)  regardless of whether the child is also a   recipient of Medicaid.          (c)  The pilot program shall be implemented in more than one   health care service region.           (d)  The commission, with the assistance of the maternal   mortality and morbidity task force established under Chapter 34,   Health and Safety Code, shall evaluate the results of the pilot   program and determine whether the program is effective in   increasing access to prenatal and postpartum care, reducing   pregnancy-related complications, improving health outcomes for   pregnant women and their newborn children, and reducing the   maternal mortality and morbidity rate. The evaluation must be   based on:                (1)  the health outcomes of the pregnant women whose   children participated in the program and of the women's newborn   children; or                (2)  an assessment of the overall health care and   pregnancy outcomes and trends in this state during the period of the   program.          (e)  Not later than September 1, 2019, the commission shall   report to the legislature on the results of the pilot program. The   report must include:                (1)  a summary of the commission's evaluation under   Subsection (d); and                (2)  the impact on costs under the medical   transportation program.          (f)  The executive commissioner may adopt rules to implement   this section.          (g)  This section expires September 1, 2019.          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.