House File 569 - Introduced
HOUSE FILE
BY FORD
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to state health care and other programs,
2 including the expansion of the Medicaid and IowaCare programs,
3 and including a process to facilitate utilization of state
4 services by former inmates transitioning to the community.
5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
6 TLSB 2610HH 82
7 pf/cf/24
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. Section 249A.3, subsection 2, Code 2007, is
1 2 amended by adding the following new paragraph:
1 3 NEW PARAGRAPH. l. Individuals whose children are eligible
1 4 for medical assistance and whose family incomes are at or
1 5 below fifty percent of the federal poverty level as defined by
1 6 the most recently revised poverty income guidelines published
1 7 by the United States department of health and human services.
1 8 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 249A.36 INMATES OF PUBLIC
1 9 INSTITUTIONS == ELIGIBILITY.
1 10 1. The enrollment of an inmate of a public institution in
1 11 the medical assistance program shall not be terminated, but
1 12 may be suspended, while the inmate is residing in the public
1 13 institution. However, if the inmate's enrollment in the
1 14 medical assistance program is suspended, the department shall
1 15 redetermine the inmate's eligibility prior to release of the
1 16 inmate from the public institution in order to provide the
1 17 inmate with coverage under the medical assistance program
1 18 immediately upon release.
1 19 2. For the purposes of this section, "inmate of a public
1 20 institution" means as provided in 42 C.F.R. } 435.1009.
1 21 Sec. 3. Section 904.108, subsection 1, Code 2007, is
1 22 amended by adding the following new paragraph:
1 23 NEW PARAGRAPH. p. Enter into an agreement with the
1 24 departments of human services and public health to provide a
1 25 process for eligible inmates to apply for available programs,
1 26 including but not limited to those relating to health care,
1 27 substance abuse treatment, food assistance, and housing, in
1 28 order to facilitate the transition of inmates into the
1 29 community upon their release.
1 30 Sec. 4. IOWACARE PROVIDER NETWORK EXPANSION. The director
1 31 of human services shall aggressively pursue options to expand
1 32 the expansion population provider network for the IowaCare
1 33 program pursuant to chapter 249J. The department may expand
1 34 the expansion population provider network if sufficient
1 35 unencumbered certified local matching funds are available to
2 1 cover the state share of the costs of services provided to the
2 2 expansion population or if an alternative funding source is
2 3 identified to cover the state share.
2 4 EXPLANATION
2 5 This bill expands eligibility for the medical assistance
2 6 (Medicaid) program to parents whose children are eligible for
2 7 medical assistance and whose family incomes are at or below 50
2 8 percent of the federal poverty level.
2 9 The bill also provides that the enrollment of an inmate of
2 10 a public institution in the medical assistance program is not
2 11 to be terminated, but may be suspended, while the inmate is
2 12 residing in the public institution. However, if the inmate's
2 13 enrollment is suspended, the bill directs the department of
2 14 human services to redetermine the inmate's eligibility prior
2 15 to release in order to provide the inmate with coverage
2 16 immediately upon release.
2 17 The bill defines "inmate of a public institution" in
2 18 accordance with federal regulation. Under federal regulation,
2 19 an inmate of a public institution includes both juveniles and
2 20 adults prior to and following conviction. A public
2 21 institution includes state or federal prisons, jails,
2 22 detention facilities, or other penal facilities. Under
2 23 federal law, inmates of public institutions may be eligible
2 24 for medical assistance, but federal financial participation
2 25 (FFP) is not provided for inmates of public institutions. An
2 26 exception to the prohibition of FFP is when an inmate is
2 27 admitted as an inpatient to a medical institution such as a
2 28 hospital, nursing facility, juvenile psychiatric facility, or
2 29 intermediate care facility.
2 30 The bill also directs the director of the department of
2 31 corrections to enter into an agreement with the departments of
2 32 human services and public health to provide a process for
2 33 eligible inmates to apply for available programs, including
2 34 but not limited to those relating to health care, substance
2 35 abuse treatment, food assistance, and housing, in order to
3 1 facilitate the transition of inmates into the community upon
3 2 their release.
3 3 The bill also directs the director of human services to
3 4 aggressively pursue options for expanding the provider network
3 5 under the IowaCare program.
3 6 LSB 2610HH 82
3 7 pf:nh/cf/24