Florida Senate - 2009                        COMMITTEE AMENDMENT
       Bill No. SB 348
       
       
       
       
       
       
                                Barcode 859444                          
       
                              LEGISLATIVE ACTION                        
                    Senate             .             House              
                   Comm: RE            .                                
                  03/11/2009           .                                
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       The Committee on Health Regulation (Lawson) recommended the
       following:
       
    1         Senate Amendment (with title amendment)
    2  
    3         Delete lines 47 - 64
    4  and insert:
    5  buy-in program under s. 409.914(2), designed to accommodate
    6  persons made eligible under Title II of Pub. L. No. 106-170.
    7         Section 2. Subsection (2) of section 409.914, Florida
    8  Statutes, is amended to read:
    9         409.914 Assistance for the uninsured.—
   10         (2)(a) The agency, in consultation with the Agency for
   11  Persons with Disabilities and the Department of Children and
   12  Families, shall develop a Medicaid buy-in program individuals
   13  eligible for Medicaid under s. 409.904(10). The Agency for
   14  Persons with Disabilities is responsible for the programmatic
   15  management of the Medicaid buy-in program, pursuant to s.
   16  20.197(3).
   17         (b) Participants in the Medicaid buy-in program shall be
   18  charged a premium based on a sliding scale once the
   19  participant’s earned income exceeds 100 percent of the federal
   20  poverty level. Assets excluded, in addition to those excluded
   21  under the supplemental security income program, are as follows:
   22  cash assets in the amount of $10,000 for a single individual and
   23  $15,000 for a couple; any retirement account recognized by the
   24  Internal Revenue Service; and a second vehicle for a couple.
   25         (c) The Agency for Persons with Disabilities shall adopt by
   26  rule procedures to administer the Medicaid buy-in program
   27  authorized in this subsection, including Medicaid buy-in program
   28  eligibility and premiums.
   29         The agency shall seek federal statutory or regulatory
   30  reforms to establish a Medicaid buy-in program to provide
   31  medical assistance to persons ineligible for Medicaid because of
   32  current income and categorical restrictions. The agency shall
   33  use funds provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to
   34  assist in developing the buy-in program, including, but not
   35  limited to, the determination of eligibility and service
   36  coverages; cost sharing requirements; managed care provisions;
   37  changes needed to the Medicaid program’s claims processing,
   38  utilization control, cost control, case management, and provider
   39  enrollment systems to operate a buy-in program.
   40         (b) The agency shall seek federal authorization and
   41  financial support for a buy-in program that provides federally
   42  supported medical assistance coverage for persons with incomes
   43  up to 250 percent of the federal poverty level. The agency shall
   44  not implement the Medicaid buy-in program until it has received
   45  necessary federal authorization and financial participation and
   46  state appropriations.
   47         Section 3. The Agency for Health Care Administration shall
   48  seek amendments to the Medicaid state plan and Medicaid waivers
   49  serving persons with disabilities to provide that persons who
   50  are eligible for Medicaid under a Medicaid buy-in program
   51  authorized under s. 409.904(10) and s. 409.914(2), Florida
   52  Statutes, may be eligible for services under waivers if they
   53  otherwise meet the level of care qualifications for services
   54  under the waiver.
   55         Section 4. This act shall take effect July 1, 2009. 
   56  
   57  ================= T I T L E  A M E N D M E N T ================
   58         And the title is amended as follows:
   59         Delete lines 6 - 10
   60  and insert:
   61  to specific federal authorization; amending s. 409.914, F.S.;
   62  providing Medicaid buy-in program administration; providing for
   63  Medicaid buy-in program premiums; providing rule-making
   64  authority; requiring the Agency for Health Care Administration
   65  to seek amendments to specified Medicaid waivers for certain
   66  persons with disabilities; providing an effective date.