House Tentatively OKs Medicaid Fiscal Reform Bill

[w8liftinglady]

http://www.texastribune.org/texas-health-resources/health-reform-and-texas/house-tentatively-oks-medicaid-fiscal-reform-bill/

The state House tentatively passed a health care bill intended to increase efficiency and cost savings in Texas' expensive Medicaid programs today — but not before adding a far-ranging variety of amendments. Medicaid fraud, abortion and immigration issues all entered the debate, causing stirs, jeers and cheers among members.

One amendment that sent applause through the House would crack down on pharmaceutical companies convicted of Medicaid fraud by increasing the fine to $500,000 and prohibiting “bad actors” from re-entering the Medicaid program. Rep. Fred Brown, R-Bryan, author of the amendment, said pharmaceutical companies “have raped and pillaged our country and our state for years.” Texas spends $30 billion a year to provide prescription drugs for Medicaid recipients, he said, and the Attorney General has recouped more than $828 million from pharmaceutical companies convicted of Medicaid fraud since 2001. Although Zerwas raised concerns the amendment had “the potential to limit access to pharmacy services,” the amendment passed the House almost unanimously (three representatives voted no).

Rep. Jim Landtroop, R-Plainview, successfully added a provision to cut off all state funding for any health care provider that has ever performed “abortion-related services."

Many Democrats raised concerns about the language of the amendment, saying it would have far-reaching effects beyond his intention to "save unborn children." At first their concerns caused Landtroop to withdraw the amendment and tighten the language to exclude medical emergencies. They said the wording of the amendment could potentially cut off state funding for any hospital that has given a woman a sonogram, prescribed the morning-after pill or helped a woman after a botched "back alley" abortion, which could technically be abortion-related services, they said. "You may not intend it that way, but when you read your amendment, includes those types of services," said veteran Democrat and lawyer Sylvester Turner.

Controversial immigration-related legislation by Rep. Van Taylor, R-Plano was also amended to the bill. The provision would hold citizenship sponsors accountable for the health care costs incurred by the state for legally residing aliens. If a legal immigrant fell into a financial bracket that would qualify them for Medicaid, food stamps or other state services, but their sponsor did not qualify, the immigrant would not be able to receive those services.