Children's Health Equity Act of 1999 - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act to provide for an increased Federal medical assistance percentage for expanded coverage of certain waivered low-income children in States which: (1) have established a Medicaid applicable income level for children under age 19 that is at or above 200 percent of the poverty line; and (2) demonstrate a commitment to reach and enroll such children. Defines "waivered low-income children" as those whose family income: (1) exceeds certain minimum Medicaid-eligible levels required to be established for the age of the child; but (2) does not exceed the Medicaid applicable income level for that child.
Provides for expansion of the individuals and entities which may serve as qualified entities with regard to the Medicaid presumptive eligibility option for low-income children.
Limits the number of waivered low-income children for a State for FY 1998 and each succeeding fiscal year.
[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
[H.R. 458 Introduced in House (IH)]
106th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 458
To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow States to use
the funds available under the State children's health insurance program
for an enhanced matching rate for coverage of additional children under
the Medicaid Program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 2, 1999
Ms. Dunn (for herself, Mr. McDermott, Mr. Dicks, Mr. Hastings of
Washington, Mr. Nethercutt, Mr. Metcalf, Mr. Smith of Washington, Mr.
Inslee, and Mr. Baird) introduced the following bill; which was
referred to the Committee on Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow States to use
the funds available under the State children's health insurance program
for an enhanced matching rate for coverage of additional children under
the Medicaid Program.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Children's Health Equity Act of
1999''.
SEC, 2. USE OF STATE CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM FUNDS FOR
ENHANCED MATCHING RATE FOR COVERAGE OF ADDITIONAL
CHILDREN UNDER THE MEDICAID PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Section 1905 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C.
1396d) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b), by striking ``or subsection (u)(3)''
and inserting ``, subsection (u)(3), or subsection (u)(4)(A)'';
and
(2) in subsection (u) (as added by section 4911(a)(2) of
the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 and as amended by section 162
of Public Law 105-100)--
(A) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph
(5); and
(B) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following
new paragraph:
``(4)(A) For purposes of subsection (b), the expenditures described
in this subparagraph are expenditures for medical assistance for
waivered low-income children described in subparagraph (B) but--
``(i) only in the case of children residing in a State
described in subparagraph (C); and
``(ii) only to the extent the number of full-year
equivalent waivered low-income children enrolled under the
State plan under this title for the fiscal year exceeds the
number of waivered low-income children described in
subparagraph (D)(i) for the State for the fiscal year.
``(B) For purposes of this paragraph, the term `waivered low-income
child' means a child whose family income exceeds the minimum income
level required to be established for the age of such child under
section 1902(l)(2) in order for the child to be eligible for medical
assistance under this title, but does not exceed the medicaid
applicable income level (as defined in section 2110(b)(4) but
determined as if `June 1, 1997' were substituted for `March 31, 1997')
for that child.
``(C) A State described in this subparagraph is a State that--
``(i) has under a waiver authorized by the Secretary or
under section 1902(r)(2) established a medicaid applicable
income level (as defined in section 2110(b)(4) but determined
as if `June 1, 1997' were substituted for `March 31, 1997') for
children under 19 years of age residing in the State that is at
or above 200 percent of the poverty line; and
``(ii) demonstrates to the satisfaction of the Secretary a
commitment to reach and enroll children who are eligible for,
but not enrolled under, the State plan through means, such as
the following:
``(I) Eliminating the assets test for eligibility
of waivered low-income children.
``(II) Using shortened and simplified applications
for such children.
``(III) Allowing applications for such children to
be submitted by mail or through telephone.
``(IV) Outstationing State eligibility workers at
sites that are frequented by families with children,
including schools, child care centers, churches,
centers providing Head Start services, local offices of
the special supplemental food program for women,
infants and young children (WIC) established under
section 17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966,
community centers, Job Corps centers established under
part B of title IV of the Job Training Partnership Act
or subtitle C of title I of the Workforce Investment
Act of 1998, sites offering the recognized equivalent
of a secondary school degree, offices of tribal
organizations (as defined in section 4(l) of the Indian
Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act), and Social Security
Administration field offices.
``(V) Using presumptive eligibility for waivered
low-income children.
``(VI) Collaborating with public and private
entities to conduct outreach campaigns to enroll such
children.
``(D)(i) For purposes of subparagraph (A)(ii), the number of
waivered low-income children for a State described in this clause for--
``(I) fiscal year 1998, is equal to the number of full-year
equivalent waivered low-income children enrolled under the
State plan under this title for fiscal year 1997; and
``(II) fiscal year 1999 or a succeeding fiscal year, is
equal to the number of waivered low-income children determined
under this clause for the preceding fiscal year increased by
the number of percentage points determined under clause (ii)
for the State for the fiscal year involved.
``(ii) The number of percentage points determined under this clause
for a State for a fiscal year is equal to the number of percentage
points by which--
``(I) the arithmetic average of the total number of
children in the State set forth in the 3 most recent March
supplements to the Current Population Survey of the Bureau of
the Census before the beginning of the fiscal year; exceeds
``(II) the arithmetic average of such total number set
forth in the second, third, and fourth most recent March
supplements to such Survey before the beginning of the fiscal
year.
``(E) For purposes of section 2104(d) (regarding the reduction of
an allotment under title XXI) the amount determined under paragraph (2)
of that section shall, with respect to expenditures described in
subparagraph (A), only take into account the amount by which--
``(i) the payments made to a State for such expenditures
for a fiscal year on the basis of an enhanced FMAP under the
fourth sentence of subsection (b); exceed
``(ii) the amount of payments that would have been made for
the expenditures if the enhanced FMAP did not apply.
``(F) Each State shall submit to the Secretary such information, at
such time and in such manner, as the Secretary determines is necessary
to ensure that the requirements of this paragraph are satisfied. The
Secretary shall ensure that information is provided under this
subsection in a manner that is consistent with other reporting
requirements for information required to be submitted by a State under
this title and title XXI, and avoids duplication of reporting
requirements.
``(G) The Secretary shall regularly examine the payments made to a
State for the expenditures described in subparagraph (A) to confirm
that the payments are attributable to expenditures described in such
subparagraph.''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) Section 1902(a)(10)(A)(ii)(XIV) of the Social Security
Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)(10)(A)(ii)(XIV)) is amended by striking
``1905(u)(2)(C)'' and inserting ``1905(u)(2)(B)''.
(2) Section 2104(d)(2) of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 1397dd(d)(2)) is amended by inserting ``subject to
section 1905(u)(4)(E),'' after ``(2)''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall be
effective as if included in the enactment of section 4911 of the
Balanced Budget Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-33; 111 Stat. 570).
SEC. 3. EXPANSION OF PRESUMPTIVE ELIGIBILITY OPTION FOR CHILDREN UNDER
THE MEDICAID PROGRAM.
(a) In General.--Section 1920A(b)(3)(A)(i) of the Social Security
Act (42 U.S.C. 1396r-1a(b)(3)(A)(i)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``or (II)'' and inserting ``, (II)''; and
(2) by inserting before the semicolon ``, eligibility for
assistance under the State plan under part A of title IV,
eligibility of a child to receive medical assistance under the
State plan under this title or title XXI, (III) is a staff
member of an elementary school or secondary school, as such
terms are defined in section 14101 of the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 8801), a child care
resource and referral center, or an agency administering a
State plan under part D of title IV, or (IV) is so designated
by the State''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--Section 1920A of such Act (42 U.S.C.
1396r-1a) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)(3)(A)(ii), by striking ``paragraph
(1)(A)'' and inserting ``paragraph (2)(A)''; and
(2) in subsection (c)(2), in the matter preceding
subparagraph (A), by striking ``subsection (b)(1)(A)'' and
inserting ``subsection (b)(2)(A)''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Commerce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health and Environment.
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