A new bill authored by State Rep. Oliverson in the Texas House seeks to require Medicaid reimbursement for inpatient mental health institutions providing comprehensive care to individuals with mental illness, according to the Texas Legislature website.
The bill, introduced as HB 154 during the 89(2) legislative session on Friday, Aug. 15, was formally listed with the short title: ’Relating to state agency terminology used in describing the landlocked territory on the western bank of the Jordan River’.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill mandates Medicaid reimbursement for inpatient mental health institutions with 16 or more beds that provide medical, nursing, and related services to individuals with mental illness. It requires that reimbursement cover health care services regardless of the recipient’s age and ensures the entirety of a recipient’s stay is included. Additionally, if a state agency deems a federal waiver necessary for implementation, it must request the waiver and may delay the provision’s implementation until granted. The act is set to take effect on Sept. 1, 2025.
Tom Oliverson, a member of the House Committee on Appropriations, proposed another four bills during the 89(2) legislative session. He is also a member of the House Committee on Appropriations – S/C on Article II, a member of the House Committee on Environmental Regulation, and a member of the House Committee on Redistricting.
Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.
You can read more about the bills and other measures here.
Other Bills Introduced by Rep. Tom Oliverson in Texas House
| Legislative Session | Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 89(2) | HB 163 | 08/15/2025 | Relating to liability of judges and magistrates for the improper release on personal bond of defendants accused of committing certain felony offenses |
| 89(2) | HB 160 | 08/15/2025 | Relating to a prohibition of the application of biosolids to certain land |
| 89(2) | HB 153 | 08/15/2025 | Relating to insurer use of aerial images for nonrenewal of residential property insurance policies |
| 89(2) | HB 151 | 08/15/2025 | Relating to designating certain substances as Schedule IV controlled substances under the Texas Controlled Substances Act |
| 89(1) | HB 295 | 08/11/2025 | Relating to state agency terminology used in describing the landlocked territory on the western bank of the Jordan River |
| 89(1) | HB 148 | 07/21/2025 | Relating to designating certain substances as Schedule IV controlled substances under the Texas Controlled Substances Act |
| 89(R) | HB 5666 | 04/04/2025 | Relating to the creation of the Fenske Road Municipal Utility District of Harris County; granting a limited power of eminent domain; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, and taxes |
| 89(R) | HB 5611 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to the authority of an emergency services district to provide preventive health care services |
| 89(R) | HB 5462 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to the regulation of earned income access providers and earned income access transactions; requiring an occupational license; authorizing fees; providing an administrative penalty; creating a criminal offense |
| 89(R) | HB 5383 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to the requirements for appointment as a medical examiner or employment as an assistant or deputy medical examiner |
| 89(R) | HB 4852 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to examination of the records of filing entities and foreign filing entities by the attorney general; creating a criminal offense |
| 89(R) | HB 4813 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the scheduling of certain controlled substances in response to certain actions by the United States Food and Drug Administration with respect to those substances |
| 89(R) | HB 4812 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the authority of a municipality or county to regulate condominiums |
| 89(R) | HB 4681 | 03/12/2025 | Relating to disclosures of preauthorization requirements and explanations of benefits for medical and health care services and supplies covered by health maintenance organizations and preferred provider benefit plans; imposing administrative penalties |
| 89(R) | HB 4556 | 03/12/2025 | Relating to automobile insurance rating plan consequences for traffic violation charges or convictions |
| 89(R) | HB 4548 | 03/12/2025 | Relating to assessment and reporting requirements regarding safety and security in public schools |
| 89(R) | HB 4547 | 03/12/2025 | Relating to certain actions by a state agency that burden certain constitutional rights of an applicant for or holder of an occupational license |
| 89(R) | HB 4546 | 03/12/2025 | Relating to the election of remedies in suits against certain veterinarians |
| 89(R) | HB 4545 | 03/12/2025 | Relating to access to land managed by the Parks and Wildlife Department from adjacent privately owned land; authorizing a fee |
| 89(R) | HB 4533 | 03/12/2025 | Relating to the reimbursement of prescription drugs under Medicaid and the child health plan program |
| 89(R) | HB 4532 | 03/12/2025 | Relating to an endorsement for roof replacements to comply with certain standards for residential property insurance |
| 89(R) | HB 4409 | 03/11/2025 | Relating to the audiology and speech-language pathology interstate compact; authorizing fees |
| 89(R) | HB 4273 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to fraud prevention and verifying eligibility for benefits under Medicaid |
| 89(R) | HB 4100 | 03/07/2025 | Relating to prohibited retaliation against a physician or health care provider for reporting certain violations or taking certain actions with respect to the provision of health care services; providing a civil remedy |
| 89(R) | HB 3984 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to the review of claims and recovery of overpayments by Medicaid recovery audit contractors |
| 89(R) | HB 3942 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to health benefit coverage for general anesthesia in connection with certain pediatric dental services |
| 89(R) | HB 3845 | 03/05/2025 | Relating to the regulation of certain compensation, contracting, employment, and performance criteria in connection with utilization review of health benefits |
| 89(R) | HB 3818 | 03/05/2025 | Relating to the extension of groundwater reduction target years established by the Harris-Galveston Subsidence District |
| 89(R) | HB 3817 | 03/05/2025 | Relating to creating the criminal offense of gender identity fraud |
| 89(R) | HB 3708 | 03/04/2025 | Relating to charity care provided by certain nonprofit hospitals and hospital systems and the calculation of net patient revenue for purposes of determining the charity care provided by those entities; authorizing an administrative penalty |
| 89(R) | HB 3647 | 03/03/2025 | Relating to appeals from orders granting or denying a plea to the jurisdiction by a governmental unit in certain circumstances |
| 89(R) | HB 3496 | 02/27/2025 | Relating to the authority of the Texas Department of Insurance to publish and maintain a list of certain ready-to-swim programs |
| 89(R) | HB 3414 | 02/26/2025 | Relating to preferred provider benefit plan out-of-pocket expense credits for payments made by an insured directly to a physician providing direct primary care |
| 89(R) | HB 3366 | 02/26/2025 | Relating to mediation and arbitration between health benefit plan issuers or administrators and out-of-network health care providers |
| 89(R) | HB 3357 | 02/26/2025 | Relating to cremation authorization procedures in counties with medical examiners |
| 89(R) | HB 3321 | 02/25/2025 | Relating to certain health care entity or system transaction fees and payment claims; providing administrative and civil penalties |
| 89(R) | HB 3320 | 02/25/2025 | Relating to a property and casualty self-insurance pool for certain religious institutions; authorizing fees; providing administrative penalties |
| 89(R) | HB 3086 | 02/20/2025 | Relating to requirements for pharmaceutical drug manufacturers to report prescription drug costs |
| 89(R) | HB 3061 | 02/19/2025 | Relating to enhancing the punishment for committing certain criminal offenses while disguised or masked |
| 89(R) | HB 2946 | 02/18/2025 | Relating to the provision of nutrition support services to Medicaid recipients in lieu of other state Medicaid plan services and a report on the health outcomes of providing those services |
| 89(R) | HB 2819 | 02/13/2025 | Relating to the licensing and regulation of outpatient behavioral health centers; authorizing civil and administrative penalties; imposing fees |
| 89(R) | HB 2816 | 02/13/2025 | Relating to protection of the rights of conscience of persons from providing and health care facilities from offering certain health care services; providing a civil remedy; authorizing disciplinary action |
| 89(R) | HB 2655 | 02/11/2025 | Relating to operation by certain nonprofit organizations of certain regional health care programs for employees of small employers |
| 89(R) | HB 2616 | 02/10/2025 | Relating to the use of certain compensation arrangements in contracts between certain health benefit plan issuers for the provision of health care services to insureds and enrollees |
| 89(R) | HB 2287 | 01/30/2025 | Relating to liability of judges and magistrates for the improper release on personal bond of defendants accused of committing certain felony offenses |
| 89(R) | HB 2243 | 01/29/2025 | Relating to the creation of the Texas Commission on Teacher Job Satisfaction and Retention |
| 89(R) | HB 2230 | 01/29/2025 | Relating to including an understanding of certain political ideologies in the foundation curriculum in public schools |
| 89(R) | HB 2075 | 01/24/2025 | Relating to facility fees charged by certain health care providers; providing an administrative penalty |
| 89(R) | HB 2038 | 01/23/2025 | Relating to the issuance by the Texas Medical Board of certain licenses to practice medicine and the authority of an insured to select certain license holders under the insured’s health policy; requiring an occupational license; authorizing fees |
| 89(R) | HB 2036 | 01/23/2025 | Relating to the provision of behavioral health services under the Medicaid managed care program |
