House Bill No. 6687
Public Act No. 21-176
AN ACT CONCERNING MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FOR CHILDREN
AND ADULTS WITHOUT HEALTH CARE COVERAGE.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:
Section 1. Section 17b-261 of the general statutes is amended by
adding subsection (l) as follows (Effective October 1, 2021):
(l) On and after January 1, 2023, the Commissioner of Social Services
shall, within available appropriations, provide state-funded medical
assistance to any child eight years of age and younger, regardless of
immigration status, whose household income does not exceed two
hundred one per cent of the federal poverty level without an asset limit
and who does not otherwise qualify for Medicaid, the Children's Health
Insurance Program, or an offer of affordable, employer-sponsored
insurance as defined in the Affordable Care Act, as an employee or a
dependent of an employee.
Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2021) On or after April 1, 2023, the
Commissioner of Social Services shall, within available appropriations,
provide state-funded medical assistance for postpartum care for twelve
months after birth to a woman who does not qualify for Medicaid due
to immigration status and whose household income does not exceed
two hundred sixty-three per cent of the federal poverty level. House Bill No. 6687
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Sec. 3. Subsection (a) of section 17b-292 of the general statutes is
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October
1, 2021):
(a) A child who resides in a household with household income
[which] that exceeds one hundred ninety-six per cent of the federal
poverty level [and] but does not exceed three hundred eighteen per cent
of the federal poverty level may be eligible for benefits under HUSKY
B. Not later than January 1, 2023, the Commissioner of Social Services
shall, within available appropriations, provide state-funded medical
assistance to any child eight years of age and younger, regardless of
immigration status, with a household income that exceeds two hundred
one per cent of the federal poverty level but does not exceed three
hundred twenty-three per cent of the federal poverty level, and who
does not otherwise qualify for Medicaid, the Children's Health
Insurance Program, or an offer of affordable, employer-sponsored
insurance as defined in the Affordable Care Act, as an employee or a
dependent of an employee.
Sec. 4. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2021) As used in this section,
"unborn child option" means a state option available under the
Children's Health Insurance Program pursuant to Title XXI of the Social
Security Act, as amended from time to time, that allows states to
consider an unborn child a low-income child eligible for coverage of
prenatal care if other conditions of eligibility under the Children's
Health Insurance Program are met. Not later than April 1, 2022, the
Commissioner of Social Services shall provide medical assistance for
prenatal care through the unborn child option under the medical
assistance program established pursuant to section 17b-292 of the
general statutes. The commissioner shall amend the state plan for the
Children's Health Insurance Program to provide such medical
assistance.
Sec. 5. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) The Executive Director of the House Bill No. 6687
Public Act No. 21-176 3 of 4
Office of Health Strategy, in consultation with the Office of Policy and
Management, the Department of Social Services, the Connecticut
Insurance Department and the Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange
established pursuant to section 38a-1081 of the general statutes, shall
study the feasibility of offering health care coverage for (1) income-
eligible children ages nine to eighteen, inclusive, regardless of
immigration status, who are not otherwise eligible for Medicaid, the
Children's Health Insurance Program, or an offer of affordable
employer sponsored insurance as defined in the Affordable Care Act, as
an employee or a dependent of an employee, and (2) adults with
household income not exceeding two hundred per cent of the federal
poverty level who do not otherwise qualify for medical assistance, an
offer of affordable, employer-sponsored insurance as defined in the
Affordable Care Act, as an employee or a dependent of an employee, or
health care coverage through the Connecticut Health Insurance
Exchange due to household income.
(b) The study on the feasibility of providing health care coverage to
income-eligible children ages nine to eighteen, inclusive, shall include,
but not be limited to: (1) The age groups that would be provided medical
assistance in each year, and appropriations necessary to provide such
assistance, (2) income eligibility criteria and health care coverage
consistent with the medical assistance programs established pursuant to
sections 17b-261 and 17b-292 of the general statutes, and (3)
recommendations for identifying and enrolling such children in such
coverage.
(c) The study on the feasibility of providing health care coverage for
adults with household income not exceeding two hundred per cent of
the federal poverty level shall include, but not be limited to: (1)
Household income caps for adults who would be provided health care
coverage in each year, and appropriations necessary to provide such
coverage, (2) health care coverage consistent with the medical assistance House Bill No. 6687
Public Act No. 21-176 4 of 4
programs established pursuant to section 17b-261 of the general statutes
and the HUSKY D program as defined in section 17b-290 of the general
statutes, and (3) recommendations for identifying and enrolling such
adults in such coverage.
(d) Not later than July 1, 2022, the executive director shall report, in
accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes,
on provisions of the feasibility study to the joint standing committees of
the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to
appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, human services and
insurance and real estate.
Sec. 6. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2021) The Commissioner of Social
Services may seek a state innovation waiver pursuant to Section 1332 of
the Affordable Care Act or enter into contractual agreements, including,
but not limited to, contractual agreements with other states, in
accordance with established procedures, as may be necessary for the
discharge of the commissioner's duties under this act.