HBA-JEK H.B. 1182 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1182
By: Capelo
Public Health
3/1/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

The outreach efforts of the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) have
resulted in the enrollment of many children in the program.  Many of the
individuals and families that qualify for Medicaid assistance are either
unaware of their eligibility  or do not know how to enroll in Medicaid.
House Bill 1182 requires the Health and Human Services Commission to
conduct an outreach program modeled after the CHIP outreach program to
promote the enrollment of eligible children and adults in Medicaid.  

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 1182 amends the Government Code to require the Health and Human
Services Commission (HHSC) to conduct a community outreach campaign
(Medicaid campaign) to provide information relating to the availability of
Medicaid coverage for children and adults and to promote the enrollment of
eligible children and adults in Medicaid.   

H.B. 1182 requires HHSC to inform potential Medicaid recipients of its
toll-free assistance telephone number and to contract with community-based
organizations for assistance in implementing the Medicaid campaign.  The
bill also requires HHSC to include components in the Medicaid campaign that
are similar to the components of its community outreach campaign for the
state child health plan.  To the extent that it is feasible and
appropriate, the bill authorizes HHSC to combine the Medicaid campaign with
any other state outreach campaign or educational activity related to health
care and available health care coverage. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.