An official State of Texas website.
1100 Legal Basis and Values
Revision 18-0; Effective September 4, 2018
STAR Kids Medicaid Managed Care Program is required by Texas Government Code §533.00253. Title 1 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §353, Subchapter M, Home and Community Based Services in Managed Care, and Subchapter N, STAR Kids, outline the delivery of STAR Kids services, as well as Medically Dependent Children Program (MDCP) services. Requirements pertaining to managed care organizations (MCOs) are outlined in the STAR Kids Managed Care Contract.
The STAR Kids Program Support Unit Operational Procedures Handbook includes operational procedures for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) Program Support Unit (PSU) staff.
The STAR Kids Handbook includes policies and procedures to be used by managed care organizations (MCOs), contractors and service providers in the delivery of STAR Kids MDCP services to eligible members.
1110 Mission Statement
Revision 18-0; Effective September 4, 2018
The mission of Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is to provide individually appropriate Medicaid managed care services to children and young adults with disabilities to enable them to live and thrive in a setting that maximizes their health, safety and overall well-being. To achieve HHSC’s mission, the STAR Kids program is established to:
- coordinate care across service arrays;
- improve quality, continuity and customization of care;
- improve access to care and provide person-centered health homes;
- improve ease of program participation for members, managed care organizations (MCOs) and providers;
- improve provider collaboration and integration of different services;
- improve member outcomes to the greatest extent achievable;
- prepare young adults for the transition to adulthood;
- foster program innovation; and
- achieve cost efficiency and cost containment.
1120 Medically Dependent Children Program
Revision 18-0; Effective September 4, 2018
The Medically Dependent Children Program (MDCP) is a home and community based services program authorized under §1915(c) of the Social Security Act. MDCP provides respite, Flexible Family Support Services (FFSS), minor home modifications, adaptive aids, Transition Assistance Services (TAS), employment assistance (EA), supported employment (SE) and financial management services (FMS) through a STAR Kids managed care organization (MCO). This section provides an overview of MDCP, including its eligibility requirements.
1130 Medically Dependent Children Program Goal
Revision 18-0; Effective September 4, 2018
The goal of the Medically Dependent Children Program (MDCP) is to support families caring for children and young adults age 20 and younger who are medically dependent, and to encourage de-institutionalization of children and young adults who reside in nursing facilities (NFs).
MDCP accomplishes this goal by:
- enabling children and young adults who are medically dependent to remain safely in their homes;
- offering cost-effective alternatives to placement in NFs and hospitals; and
- supporting families in the role as the primary caregiver for their children and young adults who are medically dependent.