Connecticut 2021 Regular Session

Connecticut House Bill HB06687 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
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4		-	House Bill No. 6687
5		-
6		-	Public Act No. 21-176
7	4
8	5
9		-	AN ACT CONCERNING MEDICAL ASSISTANCE FOR CHILDREN
10		-	AND ADULTS WITHOUT HEALTH CARE COVERAGE.
	6	+
	7	+
	8	+	LCO No. 10332 1 of 4
	9	+
	10	+	General Assembly Bill No. 6687
	11	+	January Session, 2021
	12	+	LCO No. 10332
	13	+
	14	+
	15	+	Referred to Committee on No Committee
	16	+
	17	+
	18	+	Introduced by:
	19	+	REP. RITTER M., 1
	20	+	st
	21	+	Dist.
	22	+	SEN. LOONEY, 11
	23	+	th
	24	+	Dist.
	25	+
	26	+
	27	+
	28	+
	29	+
	30	+
	31	+	AN ACT CONCERNING ME DICAL ASSISTANCE FOR CHILDREN AND
	32	+	ADULTS WITHOUT HEALT H CARE COVERAGE.
11	33		Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
12	34		Assembly convened:
13	35
14		-	Section 1. Section 17b-261 of the general statutes is amended by
15		-	adding subsection (l) as follows (Effective October 1, 2021):
16		-	(l) On and after January 1, 2023, the Commissioner of Social Services
17		-	shall, within available appropriations, provide state-funded medical
18		-	assistance to any child eight years of age and younger, regardless of
19		-	immigration status, whose household income does not exceed two
20		-	hundred one per cent of the federal poverty level without an asset limit
21		-	and who does not otherwise qualify for Medicaid, the Children's Health
22		-	Insurance Program, or an offer of affordable, employer-sponsored
23		-	insurance as defined in the Affordable Care Act, as an employee or a
24		-	dependent of an employee.
25		-	Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2021) On or after April 1, 2023, the
26		-	Commissioner of Social Services shall, within available appropriations,
27		-	provide state-funded medical assistance for postpartum care for twelve
28		-	months after birth to a woman who does not qualify for Medicaid due
29		-	to immigration status and whose household income does not exceed
30		-	two hundred sixty-three per cent of the federal poverty level. House Bill No. 6687
	36	+	Section 1. Section 17b-261 of the general statutes is amended by 1
	37	+	adding subsection (l) as follows (Effective October 1, 2021): 2
	38	+	(NEW) (l) On and after January 1, 2022, the Commissioner of Social 3
	39	+	Services shall, within available appropriations, provide medical 4
	40	+	assistance to any child eight years of age and younger, regardless of 5
	41	+	immigration status, whose household income does not exceed two 6
	42	+	hundred one per cent of the federal poverty level without an asset limit. 7
	43	+	Sec. 2. (NEW) (Effective January 1, 2022) On or after April 1, 2022, the 8
	44	+	Commissioner of Social Services, shall, within available appropriations, 9
	45	+	provide medical assistance for postpartum care for twelve months after 10
	46	+	birth to a woman without legal immigration status whose household 11 Bill No.
31	47
32		-	Public Act No. 21-176 2 of 4
33	48
34		-	Sec. 3. Subsection (a) of section 17b-292 of the general statutes is
35		-	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October
36		-	1, 2021):
37		-	(a) A child who resides in a household with household income
38		-	[which] that exceeds one hundred ninety-six per cent of the federal
39		-	poverty level [and] but does not exceed three hundred eighteen per cent
40		-	of the federal poverty level may be eligible for benefits under HUSKY
41		-	B. Not later than January 1, 2023, the Commissioner of Social Services
42		-	shall, within available appropriations, provide state-funded medical
43		-	assistance to any child eight years of age and younger, regardless of
44		-	immigration status, with a household income that exceeds two hundred
45		-	one per cent of the federal poverty level but does not exceed three
46		-	hundred twenty-three per cent of the federal poverty level, and who
47		-	does not otherwise qualify for Medicaid, the Children's Health
48		-	Insurance Program, or an offer of affordable, employer-sponsored
49		-	insurance as defined in the Affordable Care Act, as an employee or a
50		-	dependent of an employee.
51		-	Sec. 4. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2021) As used in this section,
52		-	"unborn child option" means a state option available under the
53		-	Children's Health Insurance Program pursuant to Title XXI of the Social
54		-	Security Act, as amended from time to time, that allows states to
55		-	consider an unborn child a low-income child eligible for coverage of
56		-	prenatal care if other conditions of eligibility under the Children's
57		-	Health Insurance Program are met. Not later than April 1, 2022, the
58		-	Commissioner of Social Services shall provide medical assistance for
59		-	prenatal care through the unborn child option under the medical
60		-	assistance program established pursuant to section 17b-292 of the
61		-	general statutes. The commissioner shall amend the state plan for the
62		-	Children's Health Insurance Program to provide such medical
63		-	assistance.
64		-	Sec. 5. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) The Executive Director of the House Bill No. 6687
65	49
66		-	~~Public Act~~ No. ~~21-176~~ 3 of 4
	50	+	LCO No. 10332 2 of 4
67	51
68		-	Office of Health Strategy, in consultation with the Office of Policy and
69		-	Management, the Department of Social Services, the Connecticut
70		-	Insurance Department and the Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange
71		-	established pursuant to section 38a-1081 of the general statutes, shall
72		-	study the feasibility of offering health care coverage for (1) income-
73		-	eligible children ages nine to eighteen, inclusive, regardless of
74		-	immigration status, who are not otherwise eligible for Medicaid, the
75		-	Children's Health Insurance Program, or an offer of affordable
76		-	employer sponsored insurance as defined in the Affordable Care Act, as
77		-	an employee or a dependent of an employee, and (2) adults with
78		-	household income not exceeding two hundred per cent of the federal
79		-	poverty level who do not otherwise qualify for medical assistance, an
80		-	offer of affordable, employer-sponsored insurance as defined in the
81		-	Affordable Care Act, as an employee or a dependent of an employee, or
82		-	health care coverage through the Connecticut Health Insurance
83		-	Exchange due to household income.
84		-	(b) The study on the feasibility of providing health care coverage to
85		-	income-eligible children ages nine to eighteen, inclusive, shall include,
86		-	but not be limited to: (1) The age groups that would be provided medical
87		-	assistance in each year, and appropriations necessary to provide such
88		-	assistance, (2) income eligibility criteria and health care coverage
89		-	consistent with the medical assistance programs established pursuant to
90		-	sections 17b-261 and 17b-292 of the general statutes, and (3)
91		-	recommendations for identifying and enrolling such children in such
92		-	coverage.
93		-	(c) The study on the feasibility of providing health care coverage for
94		-	adults with household income not exceeding two hundred per cent of
95		-	the federal poverty level shall include, but not be limited to: (1)
96		-	Household income caps for adults who would be provided health care
97		-	coverage in each year, and appropriations necessary to provide such
98		-	coverage, (2) health care coverage consistent with the medical assistance House Bill No. 6687
	52	+	income does not exceed two hundred sixty-three per cent of the federal 12
	53	+	poverty level. 13
	54	+	Sec. 3. Subsection (a) of section 17b-292 of the general statutes is 14
	55	+	repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective January 15
	56	+	1, 2022): 16
	57	+	(a) A child who resides in a household with household income 17
	58	+	[which] that exceeds one hundred ninety-six per cent of the federal 18
	59	+	poverty level [and] but does not exceed three hundred eighteen per cent 19
	60	+	of the federal poverty level may be eligible for benefits under HUSKY 20
	61	+	B. The Commissioner of Social Services shall, within available 21
	62	+	appropriations, provide medical assistance to any child eight years of 22
	63	+	age and younger, regardless of immigration status, with a household 23
	64	+	income that exceeds two hundred one per cent of the federal poverty 24
	65	+	level but does not exceed three hundred twenty-three per cent of the 25
	66	+	federal poverty level. 26
	67	+	Sec. 4. (NEW) (Effective January 1, 2022) As used in this section, 27
	68	+	"unborn child option" means a state option available under the 28
	69	+	Children's Health Insurance Program pursuant to Title XXI of the Social 29
	70	+	Security Act, as amended from time to time, that allows states to 30
	71	+	consider an unborn child a low-income child eligible for coverage of 31
	72	+	prenatal care if other conditions of eligibility under the Children's 32
	73	+	Health Insurance Program are met. Not later than April 1, 2022, the 33
	74	+	Commissioner of Social Services shall provide medical assistance for 34
	75	+	prenatal care through the unborn child option under the medical 35
	76	+	assistance program established pursuant to section 17b-292 of the 36
	77	+	general statutes. The commissioner shall amend the state plan for the 37
	78	+	Children's Health Insurance Program to provide such medical 38
	79	+	assistance. 39
	80	+	Sec. 5. (NEW) (Effective from passage) (a) The Commissioner of Social 40
	81	+	Services, in consultation with the Office of Health Strategy and the 41
	82	+	Connecticut Health Insurance Exchange established pursuant to section 42
	83	+	38a-1081 of the general statutes, shall develop four-year plans to phase 43 Bill No.
99	84
100		-	Public Act No. 21-176 4 of 4
101	85
102		-	programs established pursuant to section 17b-261 of the general statutes
103		-	and the HUSKY D program as defined in section 17b-290 of the general
104		-	statutes, and (3) recommendations for identifying and enrolling such
105		-	adults in such coverage.
106		-	(d) Not later than July 1, 2022, the executive director shall report, in
107		-	accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes,
108		-	on provisions of the feasibility study to the joint standing committees of
109		-	the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to
110		-	appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, human services and
111		-	insurance and real estate.
112		-	Sec. 6. (NEW) (Effective October 1, 2021) The Commissioner of Social
113		-	Services may seek a state innovation waiver pursuant to Section 1332 of
114		-	the Affordable Care Act or enter into contractual agreements, including,
115		-	but not limited to, contractual agreements with other states, in
116		-	accordance with established procedures, as may be necessary for the
117		-	discharge of the commissioner's duties under this act.
	86	+
	87	+	LCO No. 10332 3 of 4
	88	+
	89	+	in medical assistance for (1) income-eligible children ages nine to 44
	90	+	eighteen, inclusive, regardless of immigration status, and (2) adults with 45
	91	+	household income not exceeding two hundred per cent of the federal 46
	92	+	poverty level who do not currently qualify for medical assistance due to 47
	93	+	household income. 48
	94	+	(b) The plan to provide medical assistance to income-eligible children 49
	95	+	ages nine to eighteen, inclusive, shall include, but not be limited to: (1) 50
	96	+	The age groups that would be provided medical assistance in each fiscal 51
	97	+	year commencing on July 1, 2022, and appropriations necessary to 52
	98	+	provide such assistance, (2) income eligibility criteria and health care 53
	99	+	coverage consistent with the medical assistance programs established 54
	100	+	pursuant to sections 17b-261 and 17b-292 of the general statutes, and (3) 55
	101	+	recommendations for identifying and enrolling such children in a 56
	102	+	medical assistance program. 57
	103	+	(c) The plan for expanding medical assistance coverage for adults 58
	104	+	with household income not exceeding two hundred per cent of the 59
	105	+	federal poverty level shall include, but not be limited to: (1) Household 60
	106	+	income caps for adults who would be provided medical assistance in 61
	107	+	each fiscal year commencing on July 1, 2022, and appropriations 62
	108	+	necessary to provide such assistance, (2) health care coverage consistent 63
	109	+	with the medical assistance programs established pursuant to section 64
	110	+	17b-261 of the general statutes and the HUSKY D program as defined in 65
	111	+	section 17b-290 of the general statutes, and (3) recommendations for 66
	112	+	identifying and enrolling such adults in a medical assistance program. 67
	113	+	(d) Not later than January 1, 2022, the commissioner shall report, in 68
	114	+	accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general statutes, 69
	115	+	on provisions of the plans to the joint standing committees of the 70
	116	+	General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to 71
	117	+	appropriations and the budgets of state agencies, human services and 72
	118	+	insurance and real estate. 73
	119	+	This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
	120	+	sections:
	121	+	Bill No.
	122	+
	123	+
	124	+
	125	+	LCO No. 10332 4 of 4
	126	+
	127	+	Section 1 October 1, 2021 17b-261
	128	+	Sec. 2 January 1, 2022 New section
	129	+	Sec. 3 January 1, 2022 17b-292(a)
	130	+	Sec. 4 January 1, 2022 New section
	131	+	Sec. 5 from passage New section
118	132