I 

108TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 2947

To establish a demonstration grant program to assist States in providing 

subsidies for group health insurance premiums for low-income, Medicaideligible individuals. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JULY 25, 2003

Mr. LANGEVIN (for himself, Mr. CROWLEY, Ms. NORTON, Ms. LEE, Mr. LANTOS, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Mr. MURTHA, and Mr. FROST) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy 

and Commerce 

A BILL

To establish a demonstration grant program to assist States 

in providing subsidies for group health insurance premiums for low-income, Medicaid-eligible individuals.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Making Health Care 

5 Available for Low-Income Workers Act of 2003’’. 
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1 SEC. 2. WORKING POOR HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUM 

2 SUBSIDY DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM. 

3 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Health and 

4 Human Services shall provide grants to States for dem5 onstration programs under which payments are made to 

6 reduce the premiums for health benefits coverage under 

7 group health plans for individuals—

8 (1) who are eligible for benefits under a State’s 

9 medicaid program (or, at the option of a State, who 

10 would be so eligible but for their eligibility or cov11 erage under a group health plan); and 

12 (2) whose income does not exceed 185 percent 

13 of the income official poverty line (as defined by the 

14 Office of Management and Budget, and revised an15 nually in accordance with section 673(2) of the Om16 nibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981) applicable 

17 to a family of the size involved. 

18 (b) AMOUNT OF GRANT.—The amount of a grant to 

19 a State under this section may not exceed 50 percent of 

20 the premiums for health benefits coverage under a group 

21 health plan for which coverage is provided under the dem22 onstration program for eligible low-income workers de23 scribed in subsection (a). Of the amount so provided—

24 (1) the amount shall first be used to reduce the 

25 employee share (if any) of any premiums; and 
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1 (2) the remainder (if any) shall be used to re2 duce the employer’s cost of providing the coverage. 

3 (c) PREFERENCE.—In carrying out this section, the 

4 Secretary shall provide preference for States that have in5 creased the income eligibility threshold under the medicaid 

6 program. 

7 (d) APPLICATIONS, ETC.—No grant shall be made to 

8 a State under this section unless the Secretary has ap9 proved an application by the State that meets such condi10 tions as the Secretary establishes. 

11 (e) REPORT.—Not later than 2 years after funding 

12 is first made available to States under this section, the 

13 Secretary shall submit a report to Congress on the success 

14 of such grants under this section and shall include in the 

15 report such recommendations as the Secretary deems ap16 propriate. 

17 (f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

18 are authorized to be appropriated for grants under this 

19 section $30,000,000 for the 5-fiscal-year period beginning 

20 with fiscal year 2004. Amounts appropriated under this 

21 subsection shall be available for obligation without fiscal 

22 year limitation through the end of such period. 

23 (g) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section: 

24 (1) GROUP HEALTH PLAN.—The term ‘‘group 

25 health plan’’ has the meaning given such term in 
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1 section 2791(a)(1) of the Public Health Service Act 

2 (42 U.S.C. 300gg–91(a)(1)). 

3 (2) MEDICAID PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘medicaid 

4 program’’ means a State plan established under title 

5 XIX of the Social Security Act. 

6 (3) PREMIUM.—The term ‘‘premium’’ includes, 

7 with respect to a group health plan, the cost of pro8 viding coverage under the plan, including the cost to 

9 employees of such coverage. 

10 (4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means 

11 the Secretary of Health and Human Services. 

12 (5) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ has the mean13 ing given such term for purposes of the medicaid 

14 program.

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