What is the Texas Indigent Health Care Association (TIHCA)?

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DARS UPDATE:

A new section of the DARS Web site has been posted that allows our stakeholders to see important information about current initiatives, upcoming meetings and meet the DARS Stakeholder Relations team.

 

The DARS Stakeholder Web site is www.dars.state.tx.us/stakeholders.

 

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Changes in Program Responsibilities, Technical Assistance and Medicaid Access

The Department of State Health Services (DSHS) has had a change in program responsibilities. The unit known as County Indigent Health Care Group will now be the Primary Care Unit.  The unit will include County Indigent Health Care, Primary Health Care and Epilepsy Programs.  A position will be posted in the unit to include Primary Health Care and Epilepsy Program responsibilities.  The intent is to be able to work at the local level with locally funded programs in one unit.

Also, there is a change in program technical assistance.  Terry Salazar has accepted another position in the department and will no longer have responsibilities for the County Indigent Health Care Program.  Please continue to submit the Monthly Financial Reports, Forms 105s to 512/458-7713.  The reports may be addressed to Karen Gray until further notice.  The position Terry is vacating is currently posted for hire.  Also, the department has a position that will serve as a program liaison.  This position will travel statewide and facilitate communication between indigent entities and the Primary Care Group in Austin.  The position will facilitate training on the local level, be available for regional and local meetings.  

DSHS and Health and Human Services Commission have developed a process with the Medicaid contractor to provide counties eligibility access to Medicaid information.  Each county-run program will be issued a Texas Provider Identifier and Atypical Provider Identifier and Taxonomy code.  The process will be free, but does require security measures that are currently in the testing stages.  More information will be forthcoming about the process after the testing period. 

If you have further questions you may call the office at 512/458-7706.
 

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Health Care Reform Concept Paper  

 

HHSC submitted a draft concept paper that outlines the Texas reform plan to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) on Dec. 5. The concept paper represents the first step to get federal approval for a health care reform plan to provide more people with insurance, reduce reliance on expensive emergency room visits for basic care, and make it easier for the working poor to buy into employer-sponsored health coverage. The cornerstone of the Texas plan is a Health Opportunity Pool trust fund that will provide premium subsidies to low-income adults. Read the draft concept paper   

To comment on the draft: Input and comments on the draft health care reform concept paper will be considered in the development of the state's waiver.  You may submit comments to medreform@hhsc.state.tx.us through Dec. 28.  Please provide your comments and identify the corresponding section and page number when submitting your comments.