Email, Kelli Weldon, assistant press officer, Texas Health and Human Services Commission, June 21, 2017

Date: June 19, 2017 at 5:50:48 PM CDT

Subject: Inquiry for a PolitiFact Texas story

...

I write to inquire about the effect of HB 2466 on the treatments we previously covered here. At first pass, it looks to me like the measure is identical or at least similar to the failed HB 3115 of 2015. I sent a similar email to Bryan Black.

THANKS.

g.

Want our fact checks first? Follow us on Twitter.

W. Gardner Selby

Reporter / News

Austin American-Statesman

PolitiFact Texas

4:22 p.m.

June 21, 2017

Currently, women who receive Medicaid in the 60 days following delivery can receive all medically necessary Medicaid services, including postpartum depression screening and treatment, and women who receive CHIP in the 60 days following delivery can receive postpartum depression screenings; CHIP does not cover postpartum depression treatment.

HB 2466, 85R, directs Medicaid to provide a postpartum depression screening for the mother as part of the child's well-child benefit.

HB 3115, 84R, would have required Medicaid and CHIP to cover postpartum depression screening and treatment for 12 months following the birth of a child.

You may also want to check with the bill authors for more specifics.

Background note: The Healthy Texas Women program also provides services including screenings and pharmaceutical treatment for postpartum depression. Several commonly used antidepressant medications are included in the HTW formulary. Office visits for diagnostic evaluation, and basic follow-up and monitoring of treatment response, are covered. For those who require more intensive services, providers are requested to refer the patient to local behavioral health care providers. Eligible women whose Medicaid for Pregnant Women coverage period is ending will be automatically enrolled into the HTW program. Coverage under Medicaid for Pregnant Women ends the last day of the month in which the 60-day postpartum period ends. Automatic enrollment into the HTW program allows women to continue to receive postpartum depression screening and treatment.

Thanks,

Kelli Weldon

Assistant Press Officer

Texas Health & Human Services Commission