The bill, H.B. No. 814, proposes an expansion of Medicaid eligibility in Texas under the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. It introduces a new Subchapter H to Chapter 32 of the Human Resources Code, which mandates that the commission provide medical assistance to all individuals who apply and for whom federal matching funds are available. The executive commissioner is tasked with adopting rules to facilitate this provision. Additionally, the bill requires an annual report to be submitted by December 1 each year to key state officials, detailing the effects of the expanded eligibility on various factors, including the number of uninsured individuals and state healthcare costs.

The provisions of the new section apply only to initial determinations or recertifications of eligibility made after the section's implementation date, regardless of when the application was submitted. The bill also outlines that the executive commissioner must take necessary actions to implement the expanded eligibility promptly, including notifying federal agencies. If any federal waivers or authorizations are needed for implementation, the state agency may delay the process until those are obtained. The act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

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