TMPPM 2008 > Texas Medicaid Services > Birthing Center > Enrollment

10.1 Enrollment

A birthing center must be licensed as a birthing center by the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) and meet the minimum standards as required by Health and Safety Code, Chapter 244.010. To enroll in the Texas Medicaid Program, a birthing center must be licensed to provide a level of service commensurate with the professional services of a doctor of medicine (MD), doctor of osteopathy (DO), or certified nurse-midwife (CNM) who acts as birth attendant. The Texas Medicaid Program only reimburses birthing centers for services determined by the attending physician or CNM to be reasonable and necessary for the care of the mother or newborn child.

Providers cannot be enrolled if their license is due to expire within 30 days. A current license must be submitted.

A birthing center is a place, facility, or institution where a woman is scheduled to give birth following a normal, uncomplicated (low-risk) pregnancy. This term does not include a hospital, ambulatory surgical center, or residence of the woman giving birth.

Birthing centers are encouraged to refer clients for THSteps services.

Important: All providers are required to read and comply with Section 1, Provider Enrollment and Responsibilities. In addition to required compliance with all requirements specific to the Texas Medicaid Program, it is a violation of Texas Medicaid Program rules when a provider fails to provide health-care services or items to Medicaid clients in accordance with accepted medical community standards and standards that govern occupations, as explained in Title 1 Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §371.1617(a)(6)(A). Accordingly, in addition to being subject to sanctions for failure to comply with the requirements that are specific to the Texas Medicaid Program, providers can also be subject to Texas Medicaid Program sanctions for failure, at all times, to deliver health-care items and services to Medicaid clients in full accordance with all applicable licensure and certification requirements including, without limitation, those related to documentation and record maintenance.

Refer to: "Texas Health Steps (THSteps)" .

"Provider Enrollment" .

"Introduction - Medicaid Program Administration" on page ii.

Set up referral procedures for family planning services described in "Family Planning Services" on page 20-1.

DSHS website, www.dshs.state.tx.us/famplan/ for information about family planning and the locations of family planning clinics receiving Title V, X, or XX funding from DSHS.