HB 0041A 2003
1	A bill to be entitled
2	An act relating to the medically needy; amending s.
3	409.904, F.S.; revising standards for eligibility for
4	certain optional medical assistance; providing for
5	construction of the act in pari materia with laws enacted
6	during the Regular Session of the Legislature; providing
7	an effective date.
8
9	Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
10
11	Section 1. Subsections (1) and (2) of section 409.904,
12	Florida Statutes, are amended to read:
13	409.904 Optional payments for eligible persons.--The
14	agency may make payments for medical assistance and related
15	services on behalf of the following persons who are determined
16	to be eligible subject to the income, assets, and categorical
17	eligibility tests set forth in federal and state law. Payment on
18	behalf of these Medicaid eligible persons is subject to the
19	availability of moneys and any limitations established by the
20	General Appropriations Act or chapter 216.
21	(1) A person who is age 65 or older or is determined to be
22	disabled, whose income is at or below 10088percent of federal
23	poverty level, and whose assets do not exceed established
24	limitations.
25	(2) A familycaretaker relative or parent, a pregnant
26	woman, a child under age 1819 who would otherwise qualify for
27	Florida Kidcare Medicaid, a child up to age 21 who would
28	otherwise qualify under s. 409.903(1), a person age 65 or over,
29	or a blind or disabled person, who would otherwise be eligible
30	under any group listed in s. 409.903(1), (2), or (3)for Florida
31	Medicaid, except that the income or assets of such family or
32	person exceed established limitations.
33
34	For a family or person in one of these coverage groups, medical
35	expenses are deductible from income in accordance with federal
36	requirements in order to make a determination of eligibility.
37	Expenses used to meet spend-down liability are not reimbursable
38	by Medicaid. Effective May 1, 2003, when determining the
39	eligibility of a pregnant woman, a child, or an aged, blind, or
40	disabled individual, $270 shall be deducted from the countable
41	income of the filing unit. When determining the eligibility of
42	the parent or caretaker relative as defined by Title XIX of the
43	Social Security Act, the additional income disregard of $270
44	does not apply.A family or person eligible under the coverage
45	known as the "medically needy," is eligible to receive the same
46	services as other Medicaid recipients, with the exception of
47	services in skilled nursing facilities and intermediate care
48	facilities for the developmentally disabled.
49	Section 2. If any law amended by this act was also amended
50	by a law enacted at the 2003 Regular Session of the Legislature,
51	such laws shall be construed as if they had been enacted at the
52	same session of the Legislature, and full effect shall be given
53	to each if possible.
54	Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2003.