Texas House Bill HB 4119

Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

• Filed: 3/7/25

Caption

Relating to interagency sharing of certain information related to individuals disenrolled from Medicaid.

Summary

HB 4119 would require the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Texas Department of Insurance to share the name and contact information of individuals who are being disenrolled from Medicaid, but only if the individual gives written consent. The purpose of the information sharing is to allow the Department of Insurance to conduct outreach and help those individuals apply for and obtain other health coverage. The bill also requires that any information shared under the agreement be handled in a way that complies with federal and state privacy laws. If a federal waiver or authorization is needed before any part of the bill can be implemented, the affected state agency must request it and may delay implementation until it is granted. The bill is set to take effect September 1, 2025.

Impact

HB 4119 would add Section 532.0207 to the Government Code and create a new interagency information-sharing requirement between the Health and Human Services Commission and the Texas Department of Insurance. It would affect Medicaid disenrollment procedures by establishing a consent-based referral process for outreach to individuals losing Medicaid coverage, with the goal of connecting them to alternative health insurance or benefits coverage. The bill also reinforces privacy compliance and contemplates possible federal approval requirements before implementation.

Sentiment

The available legislative record shows no recorded votes or committee testimony, so there is no direct evidence of opposition or support from hearings. Based on the bill text, the measure appears to be framed as a consumer-assistance and coverage-continuity policy, which suggests a generally practical and supportive intent rather than a controversial one. The referral to the Human Services Committee indicates it was being considered in the context of health and social services administration.

Contention

The main potential points of contention are privacy, consent, and federal compliance. Because the bill authorizes sharing personal contact information between agencies, concerns could arise about how data is protected and whether individuals fully understand the consent process. Another possible issue is whether federal Medicaid rules require a waiver or authorization, which could delay implementation. No specific opposing or supporting groups are identified in the available record.