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HB 836

Relating to establishing a minimum base wage for certain personal attendants under Medicaid and other programs administered by the Health and Human Services Commission.

89th Legislature (2025) Introduced by Suleman Lalani

HB 836 establishes minimum wage standards for Medicaid personal attendants in Texas to improve caregiver compensation and service quality, increasing program costs.

Referred to Human Services
#disabilities #personswith(i0380) #health&humanservicescommission(v0177) #labor--wages(i0485) #medicaid(s4885)
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Bill Summary · HB 836

Legislative bill overview

HB 836 proposes establishing a minimum base wage requirement for personal attendants providing services under Texas Medicaid and other Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC)-administered programs. The bill aims to set wage standards for workers who provide essential in-home care and support services to vulnerable populations covered by these state and federal health programs.

Why is this important

Personal attendants provide critical daily living assistance to elderly, disabled, and chronically ill Medicaid recipients, yet these workers historically earn low wages with minimal benefits. Setting a minimum base wage could improve recruitment and retention of care workers, reduce turnover that disrupts patient care, and potentially decrease reliance on institutional care settings—though it will increase program costs that HHSC must absorb or offset.

Potential points of contention

  • Program cost impact: Establishing higher wages will increase Medicaid expenditures significantly; the bill does not specify funding mechanisms or whether current budgets will cover the increase
  • Definition and scope: Ambiguity about which personal attendants qualify (home health aides vs. nursing assistants vs. family caregivers) and whether wage floors apply uniformly across all HHSC programs
  • Market competitiveness: Higher Texas wages could create geographic wage competition and pressure on healthcare facilities and private home care agencies, or conversely, may be insufficient compared to neighboring states

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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