The bill, H.B. No. 3940, aims to enhance the provision of information regarding Medicaid benefits for newborn children. It introduces a new section, 32.0631, to the Human Resources Code, which mandates that the Texas Health and Human Services Commission provide annual written notices to managed care organizations and healthcare providers. These notices will remind providers that they can use a recipient's Medicaid identification number for reimbursement claims for newborns who have not yet been assigned their own Medicaid identification number. Additionally, the bill encourages providers to educate mothers about the use of their Medicaid identification number until their newborn is enrolled in Medicaid.

Furthermore, the bill amends Section 161.501(a) of the Health and Safety Code to require healthcare providers to offer resource pamphlets that include information about Medicaid benefits for children, eligibility requirements, and the application process. It also specifies that if the mother is a recipient of medical assistance, she must receive a resource guide that includes various child development and health topics, as well as a written notice informing her that her newborn is automatically eligible for Medicaid. The bill sets a compliance deadline for these provisions to be implemented by January 1, 2026, and it will take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Health and Safety Code 161.501 (Health and Safety Code 161)
House Committee Report: Health and Safety Code 161.501 (Health and Safety Code 161)
Engrossed: Health and Safety Code 161.501 (Health and Safety Code 161)