In this chapter:

1. (1) Notwithstanding Section 521.0001(2), "commission" means the Health and Human Services Commission or an agency operating part of the Medicaid managed care program, as appropriate.
2. (2) "Managed care plan" means a plan under which a person undertakes to provide, arrange for, pay for, or reimburse any part of the cost of any health care service. A part of the plan must consist of arranging for or providing health care services as distinguished from indemnification against the cost of those services on a prepaid basis through insurance or otherwise. The term includes a primary care case management provider network. The term does not include a plan that indemnifies a person for the cost of health care services through insurance.

3. (3) "Managed transportation organization" means:

   1. (A) a rural or urban transit district created under Chapter 458, Transportation Code;
   2. (B) a public transportation provider as defined by Section 461.002, Transportation Code;
   3. (C) a regional contracted broker as defined by Section 526.0351;
   4. (D) a local private transportation provider the commission approves to provide Medicaid nonemergency medical transportation services; or
   5. (E) any other entity the commission determines meets the requirements of Subchapter B.
4. (4) "Medical transportation program" has the meaning assigned by Section 526.0351.
5. (5) "Nonemergency transportation service" has the meaning assigned by Section 526.0351.

6. (6) "Nonmedical transportation service" means:

   1. (A) curb-to-curb transportation to or from a medically necessary, nonemergency covered health care service in a standard passenger vehicle that is scheduled not more than 48 hours before the transportation occurs, that is provided to a recipient enrolled in a Medicaid managed care plan offered by a Medicaid managed care organization, and that the organization determines meets the level of care that is medically appropriate for the recipient, including transportation related to:

      1. (i) discharging a recipient from a health care facility;
      2. (ii) receiving urgent care; and
      3. (iii) obtaining pharmacy services and prescription drugs; and
   2. (B) any other transportation to or from a medically necessary, nonemergency covered health care service the commission considers appropriate to be provided by a transportation vendor, as determined by commission rule or policy.
7. (7) "Recipient" means a Medicaid recipient.
8. (8) "Transportation network company" has the meaning assigned by Section 2402.001, Occupations Code.
9. (9) "Transportation vendor" means an entity, including a transportation network company, that contracts with a Medicaid managed care organization to provide nonmedical transportation services.

Added by Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 769 (H.B. 4611), Sec. 1.01, eff. April 1, 2025.