Senate Bill sb1948

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    Florida Senate - 2002                                  SB 1948

    By Senator Lawson





    3-1392-02

  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; amending s. 409.901, F.S.;

12         defining the term "family"; amending s.

13         409.904, F.S.; authorizing the agency to make

14         payments for medical assistance for families

15         and individuals whose income is at or below 133

16         percent of the federal poverty level; providing

17         for future repeal; providing an effective date.

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19  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

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21         Section 1.  Legislative intent.--It is the intent of

22  the Legislature to continue to meet the goal to assure access

23  to health insurance to all Floridians who are uninsured. Over

24  the course of several years, health insurance through the

25  KidCare program has been extended to children living in

26  families whose income levels are at or below 200 percent of

27  the federal poverty level. However, many of the parents of

28  these children are uninsured and without the means to purchase

29  health insurance. Federal funds are available to help pay for

30  health insurance for low-income families through the medical

31  assistance programs under Title XIX and Title XXI of the

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    Florida Senate - 2002                                  SB 1948
    3-1392-02




  1  Social Security Act. It is the intent of the Legislature to

  2  provide expanded access to health insurance for eligible

  3  families and to access federal funds available for this

  4  coverage. It is further the intent of the Legislature to

  5  provide access to health insurance coverage for individuals

  6  and families with income at or below 133 percent of the

  7  federal poverty level, regardless of current Medicaid

  8  categorical eligibility. The Agency for Health Care

  9  Administration is directed to file the appropriate state plan

10  amendments and waiver requests with the U.S. Department of

11  Health and Human Services in order to provide access to this

12  coverage and maximize all federal funds for provisions of this

13  coverage.

14         Section 2.  Present subsections (11), (12), (13), (14),

15  (15), (16), (17), (18), (19), (20), (21), (22), (23), (24),

16  (25), and (26) of section 409.901, Florida Statutes, are

17  redesignated as subsections (12), (13), (14), (15), (16),

18  (17), (18), (19), (20), (21), (22), (23), (24), (25), (26),

19  and (27), respectively, and a new subsection (11) is added to

20  that section to read:

21         409.901  Definitions; ss. 409.901-409.920.--As used in

22  ss. 409.901-409.920, except as otherwise specifically

23  provided, the term:

24         (11)  "Family" means a minor child or children and

25  their parents or relatives with whom they reside.

26         Section 3.  Subsection (12) is added to section

27  409.904, Florida Statutes, as amended by sections 1 and 2 of

28  chapter 2001-377, Laws of Florida, to read:

29         409.904  Optional payments for eligible persons.--The

30  agency may make payments for medical assistance and related

31  services on behalf of the following persons who are determined

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    Florida Senate - 2002                                  SB 1948
    3-1392-02




  1  to be eligible subject to the income, assets, and categorical

  2  eligibility tests set forth in federal and state law.  Payment

  3  on behalf of these Medicaid eligible persons is subject to the

  4  availability of moneys and any limitations established by the

  5  General Appropriations Act or chapter 216.

  6         (12)  Families and individuals whose income levels are

  7  at or below 133 percent of the federal poverty level. The

  8  Agency for Health Care Administration shall amend the medical

  9  assistance Title XIX state plan to provide medical assistance

10  coverage to families through expanded income disregards or

11  other methodologies for families whose income levels are at or

12  below 133 percent of the federal poverty level. In determining

13  eligibility, consideration of family assets must be consistent

14  with the requirements in s. 409.814. The Agency for Health

15  Care Administration shall submit to the United States

16  Department of Health and Human Services any necessary Title

17  XIX or Title XXI state plan amendments or waiver requests to

18  provide for medical assistance coverage to families and

19  individuals under this section and to maximize federal funds

20  for the provision of this coverage. This subsection is

21  repealed effective December 31, 2004.

22         Section 4.  This act shall take effect upon becoming a

23  law.

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    Florida Senate - 2002                                  SB 1948
    3-1392-02




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  2                       LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY

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      Expresses legislative intent to provide expanded access
  4    to health insurance for adults living in families whose
      income is at or below the federal poverty level and to
  5    access federal funds for this coverage. Requires the
      Agency for Health Care Administration to file amendments
  6    to the state plan and waiver requests with the U.S.
      Department of Health and Human Services. Authorizes the
  7    agency to make payments for medical assistance for
      families and individuals whose income is at or below 133
  8    percent of the federal poverty level. Provides for future
      repeal.
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