[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1744 Introduced in House (IH)]
108th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1744
To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to revise and simplify
the transitional medical assistance (TMA) program.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 10, 2003
Mr. Levin (for himself and Mr. Castle) introduced the following bill;
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to revise and simplify
the transitional medical assistance (TMA) 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 ``Welfare to Work Health Care Act of
2003''.
SEC. 2. REVISION AND SIMPLIFICATION OF THE TRANSITIONAL MEDICAL
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (TMA).
(a) Option of Continuous Eligibility for 12 Months; Option of
Continuing Coverage for up to an Additional Year.--
(1) Option of continuous eligibility for 12 months by
making reporting requirements optional.--Section 1925(b) of the
Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396r-6(b)) is amended--
(A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ``, at the
option of a State,'' after ``and which'';
(B) in paragraph (2)(A), by inserting ``Subject to
subparagraph (C)--'' after ``(A) Notices.--'';
(C) in paragraph (2)(B), by inserting ``Subject to
subparagraph (C)--'' after ``(B) Reporting
requirements.--'';
(D) by adding at the end the following new
subparagraph:
``(C) State option to waive notice and reporting
requirements.--A State may waive some or all of the
reporting requirements under clauses (i) and (ii) of
subparagraph (B). Insofar as it waives such a reporting
requirement, the State need not provide for a notice
under subparagraph (A) relating to such requirement.'';
and
(E) in paragraph (3)(A)(iii), by inserting ``the
State has not waived under paragraph (2)(C) the
reporting requirement with respect to such month under
paragraph (2)(B) and if'' after ``6-month period if''.
(2) State option to extend eligibility for low-income
individuals for up to 12 additional months.--Section 1925 of
such Act (42 U.S.C. 1396r-6) is further amended--
(A) by redesignating subsections (c) through (f) as
subsections (d) through (g); and
(B) by inserting after subsection (b) the following
new subsection:
``(c) State Option of up to 12 Months of Additional Eligibility.--
``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of
this title, each State plan approved under this title may
provide, at the option of the State, that the State shall offer
to each family which received assistance during the entire 6-
month period under subsection (b) and which meets the
applicable requirement of paragraph (2), in the last month of
the period the option of extending coverage under this
subsection for the succeeding period not to exceed 12 months.
``(2) Income restriction.--The option under paragraph (1)
shall not be made available to a family for a succeeding period
unless the State determines that the family's average gross
monthly earnings (less such costs for such child care as is
necessary for the employment of the caretaker relative) as of
the end of the 6-month period under subsection (b) does not
exceed 185 percent of the official poverty line (as defined by
the Office of Management and Budget, and revised annually in
accordance with section 673(2) of the Omnibus Budget
Reconciliation Act of 1981) applicable to a family of the size
involved.
``(3) Application of extension rules.--The provisions of
paragraphs (2), (3), (4), and (5) of subsection (b) shall apply
to the extension provided under this subsection in the same
manner as they apply to the extension provided under subsection
(b)(1), except that for purposes of this subsection--
``(A) any reference to a 6-month period under
subsection (b)(1) is deemed a reference to the
extension period provided under paragraph (1) and any
deadlines for any notices or reporting and the premium
payment periods shall be modified to correspond to the
appropriate calendar quarters of coverage provided
under this subsection; and
``(B) any reference to a provision of subsection
(a) or (b) is deemed a reference to the corresponding
provision of subsection (b) or of this subsection,
respectively.''.
(b) State Option To Waive Receipt of Medicaid for 3 of Previous 6
Months To Qualify for TMA.--Section 1925(a)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C.
1396r-6(a)(1)) is amended by adding at the end the following: ``A State
may, at its option, also apply the previous sentence in the case of a
family that was receiving such aid for fewer than 3 months, or that had
applied for and was eligible for such aid for fewer than 3 months,
during the 6 immediately preceding months described in such
sentence.''.
(c) Elimination of Sunset for TMA.--
(1) Subsection (g) of section 1925 of such Act (42 U.S.C.
1396r-6), as redesignated under subsection (a)(2), is repealed.
(2) Section 1902(e)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(e)(1))
is amended by striking ``(A) Nothwithstanding'' and all that
follows through ``During such period, for'' in subparagraph (B)
and inserting ``For''.
(d) CMS Report on Enrollment and Participation Rates Under TMA.--
Section 1925 of such Act, as amended by subsections (a)(2) and (c), is
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(g) Additional Provisions.--
``(1) Collection and reporting of participation
information.--Each State shall--
``(A) collect and submit to the Secretary, in a
format specified by the Secretary, information on
average monthly enrollment and average monthly
participation rates for adults and children under this
section; and
``(B) make such information publicly available.
Such information shall be submitted under subparagraph (A) at
the same time and frequency in which other enrollment
information under this title is submitted to the Secretary.
Using such information, the Secretary shall submit to Congress
annual reports concerning such rates.''.
(e) Coordination of Work.--Section 1925(g) of such Act, as added by
subsection (d), is amended by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
``(2) Coordination with administration for children and
families.--The Administrator of the Centers for Medicare &
Medicaid Services, in carrying out this section, shall work
with the Assistant Secretary for the Administration for
Children and Families to develop guidance or other technical
assistance for States regarding best practices in guaranteeing
access to transitional medical assistance under this
section.''.
(f) Elimination of TMA Requirement for States That Extend Coverage
to Children and Parents Through 185 Percent of Poverty.--
(1) In general.--Section 1925 of such Act is further
amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:
``(h) Provisions Optional for States That Extend Coverage to
Children and Parents Through 185 Percent of Poverty.--A State may (but
is not required to) meet the requirements of subsections (a) and (b) if
it provides for medical assistance under section 1931 to families
(including both children and caretaker relatives) the average gross
monthly earning of which (less such costs for such child care as is
necessary for the employment of a caretaker relative) is at or below a
level that is at least 185 percent of the official poverty line (as
defined by the Office of Management and Budget, and revised annually in
accordance with section 673(2) of the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act
of 1981) applicable to a family of the size involved.''.
(2) Conforming amendments.--Such section is further
amended, in subsections (a)(1) and (b)(1), by inserting ``, but
subject to subsection (h),'' after ``Notwithstanding any other
provision of this title,'' each place it appears.
(g) Extending Use of Outstationed Workers To Accept Applications
for Transitional Medical Assistance.--Section 1902(a)(55) of such Act
(42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)(55)) is amended by inserting ``and under section
1931'' after ``(a)(10)(A)(ii)(IX)''.
(h) Effective Dates.--(1) Except as provided in this subsection,
the amendments made by this section shall apply to calendar quarters
beginning on or after the date of the enactment of this Act, without
regard to whether or not final regulations to carry out such amendments
have been promulgated by such date.
(2) In the case of a State plan for medical assistance under title
XIX of the Social Security Act which the Secretary of Health and Human
Services determines requires State legislation (other than legislation
appropriating funds) in order for the plan to meet the additional
requirements imposed by the amendments made by this section, the State
plan shall not be regarded as failing to comply with the requirements
of such title solely on the basis of its failure to meet these
additional requirements before the first day of the first calendar
quarter beginning after the close of the first regular session of the
State legislature that begins after the date of the enactment of this
Act. For purposes of the previous sentence, in the case of a State that
has a 2-year legislative session, each year of such session shall be
deemed to be a separate regular session of the State legislature.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
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