House Bill hb1591
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Florida House of Representatives - 2001 HB 1591
By Representative Romeo
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to health insurance; providing
3 legislative intent to provide expanded access
4 to health insurance for adults living in
5 families whose income is at or below the
6 federal poverty level and to access federal
7 funds for this coverage; requiring the Agency
8 for Health Care Administration to file
9 amendments to the state plan and waiver
10 requests with the U.S. Department of Health and
11 Human Services; creating the Health Care
12 Coverage Workgroup; providing membership and
13 purpose; amending s. 409.901, F.S.; defining
14 the term "family"; amending s. 409.904, F.S.;
15 authorizing the agency to make payments for
16 medical assistance for families and individuals
17 whose income is at or below 133 percent of the
18 federal poverty level; providing an effective
19 date.
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21 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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23 Section 1. Legislative intent.--It is the intent of
24 the Legislature to continue to meet the goal to assure access
25 to health insurance to all Floridians who are uninsured. Over
26 the course of several years, health insurance through the
27 KidCare program has been extended to children living in
28 families whose income levels are at or below 200 percent of
29 the federal poverty level. However, many of the parents of
30 these children are uninsured and without the means to purchase
31 health insurance. Federal funds are available to help pay for
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Florida House of Representatives - 2001 HB 1591
792-107-01
1 health insurance for low-income families through the medical
2 assistance programs under Title XIX and Title XXI of the
3 Social Security Act. It is the intent of the Legislature to
4 provide expanded access to health insurance for eligible
5 families and to access federal funds available for this
6 coverage. It is further the intent of the Legislature to
7 provide access to health insurance coverage for individuals
8 and families with income at or below 133 percent of the
9 federal poverty level, regardless of current Medicaid
10 categorical eligibility. The Agency for Health Care
11 Administration is directed to file the appropriate state plan
12 amendments and waiver requests with the U.S. Department of
13 Health and Human Services in order to provide access to this
14 coverage and maximize all federal funds for provisions of this
15 coverage.
16 Section 2. Health Care Coverage Workgroup.--A
17 workgroup consisting of two representatives from the Chamber
18 of Commerce; two representatives from the small business
19 community; one representative from the Florida Hospital
20 Association; one representative of the Florida Association of
21 Community Health Centers; one representative from the Florida
22 Medical Association; one representative of the insurance
23 industry; four low-income consumers or their representatives;
24 two representatives of the Workforce Boards; and any other
25 representatives determined to be stakeholders by the Secretary
26 of the Agency for Health Care Administration shall be
27 appointed by the secretary for the express purpose of
28 preparing a proposal to expand health insurance to Florida's
29 low-wage workers and small employers that use the opportunity
30 afforded by Congress to expand coverage to the parents of
31 children eligible for the Title XIX and Title XXI programs,
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Florida House of Representatives - 2001 HB 1591
792-107-01
1 including, but not limited to, buy-in, wrap-around, or tax
2 credit options for small employers. The workgroup must be
3 staffed by the Agency for Health Care Administration. A
4 proposal must be prepared and presented to the Legislature by
5 January 15, 2002.
6 Section 3. Present subsections (11), (12), (13), (14),
7 (15), (16), (17), (18), (19), (20), (21), (22), (23), (24),
8 (25), and (26) of section 409.901, Florida Statutes, are
9 redesignated as subsections (12), (13), (14), (15), (16),
10 (17), (18), (19), (20), (21), (22), (23), (24), (25), (26),
11 and (27), respectively, and a new subsection (11) is added to
12 that section to read:
13 409.901 Definitions; ss. 409.901-409.920.--As used in
14 ss. 409.901-409.920, except as otherwise specifically
15 provided, the term:
16 (11) "Family" means a minor child or children and
17 their parents or relatives with whom they reside.
18 Section 4. Subsection (9) is added to section 409.904,
19 Florida Statutes, to read:
20 409.904 Optional payments for eligible persons.--The
21 agency may make payments for medical assistance and related
22 services on behalf of the following persons who are determined
23 to be eligible subject to the income, assets, and categorical
24 eligibility tests set forth in federal and state law. Payment
25 on behalf of these Medicaid eligible persons is subject to the
26 availability of moneys and any limitations established by the
27 General Appropriations Act or chapter 216.
28 (9) Families and individuals whose income levels are
29 at or below 133 percent of the federal poverty level. The
30 Agency for Health Care Administration shall amend the medical
31 assistance Title XIX state plan to provide medical assistance
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Florida House of Representatives - 2001 HB 1591
792-107-01
1 coverage to families through expanded income disregards or
2 other methodologies for families whose income levels are at or
3 below 133 percent of the federal poverty level. In determining
4 eligibility, consideration of family assets must be consistent
5 with the requirements in s. 409.814. The Agency for Health
6 Care Administration shall submit to the U.S. Department of
7 Health and Human Services any necessary Title XIX or Title XXI
8 state plan amendments or waiver requests to provide for
9 medical assistance coverage to families and individuals under
10 this section and to maximize federal funds for the provision
11 of this coverage.
12 Section 5. This act shall take effect July 1, 2001.
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15 SENATE SUMMARY
16 Expresses legislative intent to provide expanded access
to health insurance for adults living in families whose
17 income is at or below the federal poverty level and to
access federal funds for this coverage. Requires the
18 Agency for Health Care Administration to file amendments
to the state plan and waiver requests with the U.S.
19 Department of Health and Human Services. Creates the
Health Care Coverage Workgroup. Provides membership and
20 purpose. Authorizes the agency to make payments for
medical assistance for families and individuals whose
21 income is at or below 133 percent of the federal poverty
level.
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