| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to medical assistance eligibility of |
| 3 | inmates; creating s. 409.9025, F.S.; providing for |
| 4 | suspension of medical assistance for certain incarcerated |
| 5 | persons while such persons are inmates; providing an |
| 6 | exception; providing for eligibility following release |
| 7 | from incarceration; providing that, to the extent |
| 8 | permitted under federal law, the time during which such |
| 9 | person is an inmate shall not be included in any |
| 10 | calculation of when the person must recertify his or her |
| 11 | eligibility; providing that this section is subject to an |
| 12 | appropriation; providing an effective date. |
| 13 |
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| 14 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 15 |
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| 16 | Section 1. Section 409.9025, Florida Statutes, is created |
| 17 | to read: |
| 18 | 409.9025 Eligibility while inmate.-- |
| 19 | (1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law other than |
| 20 | s. 409.9021, in the event that a person who is an inmate in the |
| 21 | state's correctional system as defined in s. 944.02, in a county |
| 22 | detention facility as defined in s. 951.23, or in a municipal |
| 23 | detention facility as defined in s. 951.23 was in receipt of |
| 24 | medical assistance under this chapter immediately prior to being |
| 25 | admitted as an inmate, such person shall remain eligible for |
| 26 | medical assistance while an inmate, except that no medical |
| 27 | assistance shall be furnished under this chapter for any care, |
| 28 | services, or supplies provided during such time as the person is |
| 29 | an inmate; however, nothing in this section shall be deemed as |
| 30 | preventing the provision of medical assistance for inpatient |
| 31 | hospital services furnished to an inmate at a hospital outside |
| 32 | of the premises of the inmate's facility to the extent that |
| 33 | federal financial participation is available for the costs of |
| 34 | such services. |
| 35 | (2) Upon release from incarceration, such person shall |
| 36 | continue to be eligible for receipt of medical assistance |
| 37 | furnished under this chapter until such time as the person is |
| 38 | otherwise determined to no longer be eligible for such |
| 39 | assistance. |
| 40 | (3) To the extent permitted by federal law, the time |
| 41 | during which such person is an inmate shall not be included in |
| 42 | any calculation of when the person must recertify his or her |
| 43 | eligibility for medical assistance in accordance with this |
| 44 | chapter. |
| 45 | (4) Implementation and enforcement of this section is |
| 46 | subject to a specific appropriation in the General |
| 47 | Appropriations Act. |
| 48 | Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2008. |