About the time I’m convinced that this blog should be mostly, if not all devotional, I get something like this in my e-mail box. It is a bill that gives people the ability to buy into the Medicaid program, even if they become ineligible because they go to work and have a higher income. The law reads as though there is currently a buy-in program, but no one seems to know about it, if it exists. There are still lots of questions that don’t seem to be answered. Is the Medicaid buy in program part of a larger federal program? How much do you need to make before you must opt out? What is the cost? Can those who never had medicare because they worked but never had insurance either buy in?
HB 1311 2008
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1311-00
Page 1 of 2
F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to optional payments for medical
3 assistance; amending s. 409.904, F.S.; providing for
4 Medicaid eligibility for certain persons with disabilities
5 under a Medicaid buy-in program, subject to specific
6 federal authorization; requiring the Agency for Health
7 Care Administration to seek amendments to specified
8 Medicaid waivers for certain persons with disabilities;
9 providing an effective date.
10
11 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
12
13 Section 1. Subsection (10) is added to section 409.904,
14 Florida Statutes, to read:
15 409.904 Optional payments for eligible persons.–The
16 agency may make payments for medical assistance and related
17 services on behalf of the following persons who are determined
18 to be eligible subject to the income, assets, and categorical
19 eligibility tests set forth in federal and state law. Payment on
20 behalf of these Medicaid eligible persons is subject to the
21 availability of moneys and any limitations established by the
22 General Appropriations Act or chapter 216.
23 (10) Subject to specific federal authorization, a person
24 who is determined to be disabled and who, but for earnings,
25 would be considered for receiving supplemental security income;
26 whose countable earnings, taking into account supplemental
27 security income earned income disregards, do not exceed 250
28 percent of the federal poverty level and whose unearned income
HB 1311 2008
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
hb1311-00
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F L O R I D A H O U S E O F R E P R E S E N T A T I V E S
29 does not exceed 88 percent of the most current federal poverty
30 level; who has attained 16 years of age but who is less than 65
31 years of age may be eligible for Medicaid services as part of a
32 Medicaid buy-in program established under s. 409.914(2)
33 specifically designed to accommodate those persons made eligible
34 for such a buy-in by Title II of Pub. L. No. 106-170. A
35 participant in the Medicaid buy-in program must be charged a
36 premium based on a sliding scale once the participant’s earned
37 income exceeds 100 percent of the federal poverty level.
38 Additional assets excluded under the supplemental security
39 income program are as follows: cash assets in the amount of
40 $8,000 for a single individual and $9,000 for a couple; any
41 retirement account recognized by the Internal Revenue Service;
42 and a second vehicle for a couple.
43 Section 2. The Agency for Health Care Administration shall
44 seek amendments to Medicaid waivers serving persons with
45 disabilities to provide that persons who are eligible for
46 Medicaid under a Medicaid buy-in program authorized under s.
47 409.904(10), Florida Statutes, may be eligible for services
48 under waivers if they otherwise meet the level of care
49 qualifications for services under such a waiver.
50 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2008.
March 28, 2008 at 3:40 am
ezine articles
Good post!
March 28, 2008 at 8:00 am
Thanks. The lives of our members is tied so closely to the State that we try to keep them up to date with changes that will effect their lives.
April 30, 2008 at 2:47 pm
This is part of a larger federal mandate intended to stop making people with disabilities choose between working and having health coverage. It looks like Florida is either finally getting around to implementing this federal change or is modifying the way state rules apply. Here’s a quick link for more info: http://www.ssa.gov/disabilityresearch/wi/buyin.htm
Have a great day!
-AB in Madison WI
May 1, 2008 at 7:47 am
Thanks, AB. I hope you don’t mind but I included your information in my May 1 blog.
You made my day!