I 
116TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3953 
To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to expand the requirement 
for States to suspend, rather than terminate, an individual’s eligibility 
for medical assistance under the State Medicaid plan while the individual 
is an inmate of a public institution, to apply to inmates of any age. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 24, 2019 
Mr. SCOTT of Virginia introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to expand 
the requirement for States to suspend, rather than termi-
nate, an individual’s eligibility for medical assistance 
under the State Medicaid plan while the individual is 
an inmate of a public institution, to apply to inmates 
of any age. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Supporting Positive 
Outcomes After Release Act’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:20 Aug 07, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3953.IH
H3953
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
SEC. 2. SUSPENSION OF MEDICAID BENEFITS FOR INMATES 
OF PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1902 of the Social Secu-
rity Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(84)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘indi-
vidual who is an eligible juvenile’’ and all that 
follows through ‘‘inmate;’’ and inserting ‘‘eligi-
ble individual (as defined in subsection (nn)(1)) 
because the individual is an inmate of a public 
institution (as defined in subsection (nn)(2)), 
but may suspend coverage during the period the 
individual is such an inmate;’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘in-
dividual who is an eligible juvenile described in 
paragraph (2)(A)’’ and inserting ‘‘eligible indi-
vidual who is described in paragraph (1)(A)’’; 
and 
(C) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘indi-
vidual who is an eligible juvenile described in 
paragraph (2)(B)’’ and inserting ‘‘eligible indi-
vidual who is described in paragraph (1)(B)’’; 
and 
(2) by amending subsection (nn) to read as fol-
lows: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:20 Aug 07, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H3953.IH
H3953
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS
‘‘(nn) ELIGIBLE
INDIVIDUAL; PUBLIC
INSTITU-
TION.—For purposes of subsection (a)(84) and this sub-
section: 
‘‘(1) ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL.—The term ‘eligible 
individual’ means an individual who is an inmate of 
a public institution and who— 
‘‘(A) was determined eligible for medical 
assistance under the State plan immediately be-
fore becoming an inmate of such a public insti-
tution; or 
‘‘(B) is determined eligible for such med-
ical assistance while an inmate of a public insti-
tution. 
‘‘(2) INMATE OF A PUBLIC INSTITUTION.—The 
term ‘inmate of a public institution’ has the meaning 
given such term for purposes of applying the sub-
division (A) following paragraph (30) of section 
1905(a), taking into account the exception in such 
subdivision for a patient of a medical institution.’’. 
(b) RETROACTIVE EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amend-
ments made by subsection (a) shall take effect as included 
in the enactment of section 1001 of the SUPPORT for 
Patients and Communities Act (Public Law 115–271). 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:20 Aug 07, 2019
Jkt 089200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H3953.IH
H3953
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42 with BILLS