I

107TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. R. 1903

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

MAY 17, 2001

Mr. LANGEVIN (for himself, Mr. LANTOS, and Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania)

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 2001’’.

6 SEC. 2. WORKING POOR HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUM

7 SUBSIDY DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM.

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

9 Human Services shall provide grants to States for dem-
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1 onstration programs under which payments are made to

2 reduce the premiums for health benefits coverage under

3 group health plans for individuals—

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

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

6 would be so eligible but for their eligibility or cov7 erage under a group health plan); and

8 (2) whose income does not exceed 185 percent

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

10 Office of Management and Budget, and revised an11 nually in accordance with section 673(2) of the Om12 nibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1981) applicable

13 to a family of the size involved.

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

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

16 the premiums for health benefits coverage under a group

17 health plan for which coverage is provided under the dem18 onstration program for eligible low-income workers de19 scribed in subsection (a). Of the amount so provided—

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

21 employee share (if any) of any premiums; and

22 (2) the remainder (if any) shall be used to re23 duce the employer’s cost of providing the coverage.

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

25 Secretary shall provide preference for States that have in-
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1 creased the income eligibility threshold under the medicaid

2 program.

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

4 a State under this section unless the Secretary has ap5 proved an application by the State that meets such condi6 tions as the Secretary establishes.

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

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

9 Secretary shall submit a report to Congress on the success

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

11 report such recommendations as the Secretary deems ap12 propriate.

13 (f) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There

14 are authorized to be appropriated for grants under this

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

16 with fiscal year 2002. Amounts appropriated under this

17 subsection shall be available for obligation without fiscal

18 year limitation through the end of such period.

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

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

21 health plan’’ has the meaning given such term in

22 section 2791(a)(1) of the Public Health Service Act

23 (42 U.S.C. 300gg–91(a)(1)).
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1 (2) MEDICAID PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘medicaid

2 program’’ means a State plan established under title

3 XIX of the Social Security Act.

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

5 with respect to a group health plan, the cost of pro6 viding coverage under the plan, including the cost to

7 employees of such coverage.

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

9 the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

10 (5) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ has the mean11 ing given such term for purposes of the medicaid

12 program.

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