| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to requirements for Medicaid eligibility; |
| 3 | amending s. 409.903, F.S.; providing that low-income |
| 4 | families that have children are eligible for Medicaid if |
| 5 | the family's countable income does not exceed 35 percent |
| 6 | of the federal poverty level and resource standards do not |
| 7 | exceed the applicable standards for Aid to Families with |
| 8 | Dependent Children; amending s. 445.029, F.S.; extending |
| 9 | the time during which a family that has lost temporary |
| 10 | cash assistance due to earnings may remain eligible for |
| 11 | Medicaid without reapplication if private insurance is |
| 12 | unavailable or unaffordable; providing an effective date. |
| 13 |
|
| 14 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 15 |
|
| 16 | Section 1. Paragraph (c) of subsection (1) of section |
| 17 | 409.903, Florida Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 18 | 409.903 Mandatory payments for eligible persons.--The |
| 19 | agency shall make payments for medical assistance and related |
| 20 | services on behalf of the following persons who the department, |
| 21 | or the Social Security Administration by contract with the |
| 22 | Department of Children and Family Services, determines to be |
| 23 | eligible, subject to the income, assets, and categorical |
| 24 | eligibility tests set forth in federal and state law. Payment on |
| 25 | behalf of these Medicaid eligible persons is subject to the |
| 26 | availability of moneys and any limitations established by the |
| 27 | General Appropriations Act or chapter 216. |
| 28 | (1) Low-income families with children are eligible for |
| 29 | Medicaid provided they meet the following requirements: |
| 30 | (c) The family's countable income does and resources do |
| 31 | not exceed 35 percent of the federal poverty level and resource |
| 32 | standards do not exceed the applicable Aid to Families with |
| 33 | Dependent Children (AFDC) income and resource standards under |
| 34 | the AFDC state plan in effect in July 2006 1996, except as |
| 35 | amended in the Medicaid state plan to conform as closely as |
| 36 | possible to the requirements of the welfare transition program, |
| 37 | to the extent permitted by federal law. |
| 38 | Section 2. Subsection (1) of section 445.029, Florida |
| 39 | Statutes, is amended to read: |
| 40 | 445.029 Transitional medical benefits.-- |
| 41 | (1) A family that loses its temporary cash assistance due |
| 42 | to earnings shall remain eligible for Medicaid without |
| 43 | reapplication during the immediately succeeding 24-month 12- |
| 44 | month period if private medical insurance is unavailable from |
| 45 | the employer or is unaffordable. |
| 46 | (a) The family shall be denied Medicaid during the 24- |
| 47 | month 12-month period for any month in which the family does not |
| 48 | include a dependent child. |
| 49 | (b) The family shall be denied Medicaid if, during the |
| 50 | final second 6 months of the 24-month 12-month period, the |
| 51 | family's average gross monthly earnings during the preceding |
| 52 | month exceed 185 percent of the federal poverty level. |
| 53 | Section 3. This act shall take effect upon becoming a law. |