Senate File 214 - Introduced



                                       SENATE FILE       
                                       BY  HATCH


    Passed Senate, Date               Passed House,  Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act relating to enrollment of an inmate of a public
  2    institution in the medical assistance program.
  3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  4 TLSB 2789XS 81
  5 pf/pj/5

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  249A.35  INMATES OF PUBLIC
  1  2 INSTITUTIONS == ELIGIBILITY.
  1  3    1.  The enrollment of an inmate of a public institution in
  1  4 the medical assistance program shall not be terminated, but
  1  5 may be suspended, while the inmate is residing in the public
  1  6 institution.  However, if the inmate's enrollment in the
  1  7 medical assistance program is suspended, the department shall
  1  8 redetermine the inmate's eligibility prior to release of the
  1  9 inmate from the public institution in order to provide the
  1 10 inmate with coverage under the medical assistance program
  1 11 immediately upon release.
  1 12    2.  For the purposes of this section, "inmate of a public
  1 13 institution" means as provided in 42 C.F.R. } 435.1009.
  1 14                           EXPLANATION
  1 15    This bill provides that the enrollment of an inmate of a
  1 16 public institution in the medical assistance program is not to
  1 17 be terminated, but may be suspended, while the inmate is
  1 18 residing in the public institution.  However, if the inmate's
  1 19 enrollment is suspended, the bill directs the department of
  1 20 human services to redetermine the inmate's eligibility prior
  1 21 to release in order to provide the inmate with coverage
  1 22 immediately upon release.
  1 23    The bill defines "inmate of a public institution" in
  1 24 accordance with federal regulation.  Under federal regulation,
  1 25 an inmate of a public institution includes both juveniles and
  1 26 adults prior to and following conviction.  A public
  1 27 institution includes state or federal prisons, jails,
  1 28 detention facilities, or other penal facilities.  Under
  1 29 federal law, inmates of public institutions may be eligible
  1 30 for medical assistance, but federal financial participation
  1 31 (FFP) is not provided for inmates of public institutions.  An
  1 32 exception to the prohibition of FFP is when an inmate is
  1 33 admitted as an inpatient to a medical institution such as a
  1 34 hospital, nursing facility, juvenile psychiatric facility, or
  1 35 intermediate care facility.
  2  1 LSB 2789XS 81
  2  2 pf:nh/pj/5