County Jail Reporting Process FAQs

Policy and Process

When can a county jail begin reporting confinements?

A county jail can begin reporting people receiving health care benefits who have been confined for more than 30 days beginning Jan. 2, 2019.

Who does the county jail report as confined?

County jails report confined people who are receiving health care benefits and have been confined in jail more than 30 days.

Do not report people who get Supplemental Security Income or children under the care of the Department of Family and Protective Services. HHSC does not suspend or reinstate health care coverage for these people. Only report confined people receiving one of the types of assistance listed on the HHS County Jail Reporting Job Aid (PDF).

When does the county jail report a confinement of a person receiving health care benefits?

As soon as possible after the person has been confined in county jail for 30 days.

What happens when HHSC receives the notification of the confinement?

HHSC eligibility staff suspend or terminate the person's health care coverage, depending on the type of health care benefits they are receiving. Notifications of confinement received after 5 p.m., on weekends or on state holidays will be processed the next business day.

Note: HHSC doesn't suspend or reinstate health care coverage for SSI recipients or children under the care of the DFPS.

If I don't report the person as confined, do I need to report when they are released?

No.

If I reported a person as confined, do I have to report when they are released?

The county jail is only required to report the release of people who were receiving a type of health care benefits that HHSC suspended upon notification of the person's confinement. See HHSC County Jail Reporting Job Aid (PDF) for a listing of those types of assistance.

When does the county jail report the release of a person receiving health care benefits?

The county jail reports the release within 48 hours of the person's release.

What happens when HHSC is notified of the person's release?

HHSC eligibility staff reinstate the person's health care coverage within two business days of receipt of notification from the county sheriff's office if the person's certification period hasn't ended. If the person's health care certification period ended while they were in county jail, they must reapply.

Note: If the notification is received after 5 p.m. on weekends or on state holidays, HHSC reinstates the person's health care benefits on the next business day.

Can the county jail report both confinements and releases on the same Notification of County Jail Confinement and Release form?

No, confinements and releases should be reported on separate forms. However, the county jail may report multiple individuals on one form if the report type is the same (all confinements or all releases).

Does the HHSC County Jail Reporting process replace the process or agreement the county jail has with the Social Security Administration for reporting confined individuals who receive SSI?

No. These are two separate processes.

Does the county jail need to report confined individuals who receive SSI Medicaid to HHSC?

No. See the HHSC County Jail Reporting Job Aid (PDF) for the types of health care coverage that should be reported to HHSC.

Can the county jail give their contractors access to TIERS?

Local Government Code §351.046, enacted by H.B. 337, provides access to the HHSC eligibility system, TIERS, for the county sheriff, or an employee of the county or sheriff. The county sheriff may contract with a third party to assist individuals with reinstating their benefits as allowed by Local Government Code §351.047, enacted by H.B. 337.

Systems

What if I forget my TIERS ID or password?

Contact the HHSC Technical Help Desk at 800-214-4175 and select Option 2.

What if I have trouble logging into my county’s GlobalScape account?

If you need assistance with GlobalScape, including password resets, please call the HHSC IT Customer Service Help Desk at 855-435-7181. Ask the Help Desk agent to assign the ticket number to the Enterprise Secure FTP Support queue.

Who do I contact if I have questions about the reporting process?

For questions, please contact AES_CountyJailReporting_HB337@hhsc.state.tx.us.