Bill Text: IA HSB643 | 2023-2024 | 90th General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: A bill for an act relating to eligibility for pregnant women and infants under the Medicaid program, and including effective date provisions.(See HF 2583.)

Spectrum: Committee Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2024-02-19 - Committee report approving bill, renumbered as HF 2583. [HSB643 Detail]

Download: Iowa-2023-HSB643-Introduced.html

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House Study Bill 643 - Introduced
SENATE/HOUSE FILE _____
BY (PROPOSED GOVERNOR BILL)
A BILL FOR
An Act relating to eligibility for pregnant women and infants
under the Medicaid program, and including effective date
provisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
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S.F. _____ H.F. _____
Section 1. Section 249A.3, subsection 1, paragraphs h and l,
Code 2024, are amended to read as follows:
h. Is a woman who, while pregnant, meets eligibility
requirements for assistance under the federal Social Security
Act, section 1902(l), and continues to meet the requirements
except for income. The woman is eligible to receive assistance
until sixty days twelve months after the date pregnancy ends.
l. (1) Is an infant whose family income is not more than
two hundred fifteen percent of the federal poverty level,
as defined by the most recently revised income guidelines
published by the United States department of health and human
services.
(2) Is a pregnant woman or infant whose family income while
pregnant is at or below three two hundred fifteen percent of
the federal poverty level, as defined by the most recently
revised poverty income guidelines published by the United
States department of health and human services, if otherwise
eligible.
Sec. 2. MEDICAID —— PREGNANT WOMEN —— CONTINUOUS POSTPARTUM
COVERAGE —— STATE PLAN AMENDMENTS. The department of health
and human services shall submit a Medicaid state plan amendment
to the centers for Medicare and Medicaid services of the United
States department of health and human services for approval in
accordance with sections 9812 and 9822 of the federal American
Rescue Plan Act of 2021, Pub. L. No. 117-2, as amended by
section 5113 of the federal Consolidated Appropriations Act
of 2023, to provide twelve months of continuous postpartum
eligibility under the Medicaid program to a pregnant woman
whose family income while pregnant is at or below two hundred
fifteen percent of the federal poverty level for the household
size, beginning January 1, 2025. The department of health and
human services shall also submit a children’s health insurance
program state plan amendment to the centers for Medicare and
Medicaid services of the United States department of health and
human services to update infant eligibility consistent with the
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S.F. _____ H.F. _____
provisions of this Act, beginning January 1, 2025.
Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE. The following, being deemed of
immediate importance, takes effect upon enactment:
The section of this Act directing the department of health
and human services to submit state plan amendments to the
centers for Medicare and Medicaid services of the United States
department of health and human services.
Sec. 4. EFFECTIVE DATE. The following takes effect January
1, 2025:
The section of this Act amending section 249A.3, subsection
1, paragraphs “h” and “l”.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
This bill amends provisions relating to income eligibility
levels for pregnant women and infants under the Medicaid
program and provides for the extension of postpartum coverage
from 60 days to 12 months.
Code section 249A.3(1)(h) provides Medicaid eligibility for
a woman who while pregnant meets federally required eligibility
requirements and continues to meet those requirements, except
for income, to receive assistance until 60 days after the
pregnancy ends. Provisions of the federal American Rescue Plan
Act of 2021 (H.R. 1319) provide the option to states to submit
a state plan amendment, effective for a five-year period,
to provide postpartum Medicaid coverage for 12 months after
pregnancy ends. A provision under the federal Consolidated
Appropriations Act of 2023 removed the five-year limitation
period for the state plan amendment. The bill amends Code
section 249A.3(1)(h) to extend postpartum coverage from 60 days
to 12 months after pregnancy ends.
Code section 249A.3(1)(l)(1) provides a separate basis for
Medicaid eligibility for an infant whose income is not more
than 200 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL). The bill
amends this provision to provide eligibility for an infant
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S.F. _____ H.F. _____
whose family income is not more than 215 percent of the FPL.
Under Code section 249A.3(1)(l)(2), a pregnant woman or
infant whose family income is at or below 300 percent of the
FPL, if otherwise eligible, is eligible for Medicaid. The bill
amends this provision to provide eligibility for a pregnant
woman whose family income while pregnant is at or below 215
percent of the FPL, if otherwise eligible.
The bill requires HHS to submit a Medicaid state plan
amendment to the centers for Medicare and Medicaid services
of the United States department of health and human services
(CMS) for approval in accordance with the provisions in federal
law to provide 12 months of continuous postpartum eligibility
under the Medicaid program to a pregnant woman whose family
income while pregnant is at or below 215 percent of the federal
poverty level for the household size, beginning January 1,
2025. The bill also requires HHS to submit a children’s
health insurance program state plan amendment to CMS to update
infant eligibility consistent with the provisions of the bill,
beginning January 1, 2025.
The section of the bill directing HHS to submit state plan
amendments to the federal government for approval takes effect
upon enactment; and the section of the bill amending Code
provisions relating to Medicaid eligibility for pregnant women
and infants takes effect January 1, 2025.
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