(a) In this section, “acute nursing services” means home health skilled nursing services, home health aide services, and private duty nursing services.
(b) If cost-effective, the commission shall develop an objective assessment process for use in assessing a Medicaid recipient’s needs for acute nursing services. If the commission develops an objective assessment process under this section, the commission shall require that:
(1) the assessment be conducted:
(A) by a state employee or contractor who is a registered nurse who is licensed to practice in this state and who is not the person who will deliver any necessary services to the recipient and is not affiliated with the person who will deliver those services; and
(B) in a timely manner so as to protect the health and safety of the recipient by avoiding unnecessary delays in service delivery; and
(2) the process include:
(A) an assessment of specified criteria and documentation of the assessment results on a standard form;
(B) an assessment of whether the recipient should be referred for additional assessments regarding the recipient’s needs for therapy services, as defined by § 531.024171, attendant care services, and durable medical equipment; and
(C) completion by the person conducting the assessment of any documents related to obtaining prior authorization for necessary nursing services.

(c) If the commission develops the objective assessment process under Subsection (b), the commission shall:
(1) implement the process within the Medicaid fee-for-service model and the primary care case management Medicaid managed care model; and
(2) take necessary actions, including modifying contracts with managed care organizations under Chapter 533 to the extent allowed by law, to implement the process within the STAR and STAR + PLUS Medicaid managed care programs.
(d) Unless the commission determines that the assessment is feasible and beneficial, an assessment under Subsection (b)(2)(B) of whether a recipient should be referred for additional therapy services shall be waived if the recipient’s need for therapy services has been established by a recommendation from a therapist providing care prior to discharge of the recipient from a licensed hospital or nursing home. The assessment may not be waived if the recommendation is made by a therapist who will deliver any services to the recipient or is affiliated with a person who will deliver those services when the recipient is discharged from the licensed hospital or nursing home.
(e) The executive commissioner shall adopt rules providing for a process by which a provider of acute nursing services who disagrees with the results of the assessment conducted under Subsection (b) may request and obtain a review of those results.

Text of section effective until April 01, 2025