TX HB142

Qualified experts retained by the Health and Human Services Commission on behalf of the Office of Inspector General are now classified as expert witnesses under Section 2151.005, simplifying procurement rules previously requiring competitive bidding

The Office of Inspector General may share information from administrative oversight activities with federal, state, and local government entities, including law enforcement and prosecutorial agencies, as well as authorized persons

Fingerprint-based criminal history checks are prohibited for determining Medicaid provider eligibility for licensed healthcare professionals in good standing, unless required by federal law or needed for fraud investigations

Recovery audit contractors must identify and recover Medicaid underpayments and overpayments, including those in the managed care program, but cannot initiate claim reviews without Inspector General approval, cost-effectiveness determination, and at least one year elapsed since the claim was received

The executive commissioner must adopt rules for appeals related to overpayments identified by recovery audit contractors, and implementation is contingent on legislative appropriations; effective date is September 1, 2025