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HB 475

Relating to Medicaid coverage and reimbursement for multisystemic therapy services.

89th Legislature (2025) Introduced by Jo Jones and 3 co-sponsors

Texas Medicaid must cover multisystemic therapy for adolescents with serious behavioral disorders and pay providers adequately to ensure statewide service availability.

Received from the House
#health&humanservicescommission(v0177) #humanservices--childservices(i0895) #humanservices--medicalassistance(i0905) #medicaid(s4885) #mentalhealth&substanceabuse(i0019)
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Bill Summary · HB 475

Legislative bill overview

HB 475 requires Texas Medicaid to cover and reimburse multisystemic therapy (MST) services, a evidence-based treatment program designed for adolescents with serious behavioral and emotional disorders. The bill mandates that reimbursement rates be sufficient to ensure adequate provider availability and service accessibility across the state.

Why is this important

Multisystemic therapy is a well-researched intervention shown to reduce juvenile justice involvement, substance abuse, and psychiatric hospitalizations while keeping youth in their homes and communities. This bill addresses a potential gap in Medicaid coverage that could prevent at-risk teens from accessing an effective treatment option, particularly affecting lower-income families who rely on Medicaid.

Potential points of contention

  • Cost implications: Adding a new service to Medicaid coverage increases state expenditures; the bill's requirement for "adequate" reimbursement rates may be interpreted broadly, potentially driving higher costs than anticipated
  • Provider availability: Rural and underserved areas may lack trained MST providers even with improved reimbursement, limiting practical access despite theoretical coverage
  • Reimbursement rate disputes: Disagreement over what constitutes "sufficient" reimbursement could lead to ongoing negotiations and potential provider dissatisfaction if rates are deemed inadequate relative to service intensity

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

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