At-Risk Youth Medicaid Protection Act of 2017

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``At-Risk Youth Medicaid Protection 
Act of 2018''.

SEC. 2. AT-RISK YOUTH MEDICAID PROTECTION.

    (a) In General.--Section 1902 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 
1396a) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)--
                    (A) by striking ``and'' at the end of paragraph 
                (82);
                    (B) by striking the period at the end of paragraph 
                (83) and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by inserting after paragraph (83) the following 
                new paragraph:
            ``(84) provide that--
                    ``(A) the State shall not terminate eligibility for 
                medical assistance under the State plan for an 
                individual who is an eligible juvenile (as defined in 
                subsection (nn)(2)) because the juvenile is an inmate 
                of a public institution (as defined in subsection 
                (nn)(3)), but may suspend coverage during the period 
                the juvenile is such an inmate;
                    ``(B) in the case of an individual who is an 
                eligible juvenile described in paragraph (2)(A) of 
                subsection (nn), the State shall, prior to the 
                individual's release from such a public institution, 
                conduct a redetermination of eligibility for such 
                individual with respect to such medical assistance 
                (without requiring a new application from the 
                individual) and, if the State determines pursuant to 
                such redetermination that the individual continues to 
                meet the eligibility requirements for such medical 
                assistance, the State shall restore coverage for such 
                medical assistance to such an individual upon the 
                individual's release from such public institution; and
                    ``(C) in the case of an individual who is an 
                eligible juvenile described in paragraph (2)(B) of 
                subsection (nn), the State shall process any 
                application for medical assistance submitted by, or on 
                behalf of, such individual such that the State makes a 
                determination of eligibility for such individual with 
                respect to such medical assistance upon release of such 
                individual from such public institution.''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following new subsection:
    ``(nn) Juvenile; Eligible Juvenile; Public Institution.--For 
purposes of subsection (a)(84) and this subsection:
            ``(1) Juvenile.--The term `juvenile' means an individual 
        who is--
                    ``(A) under 21 years of age; or
                    ``(B) described in subsection (a)(10)(A)(i)(IX).
            ``(2) Eligible juvenile.--The term `eligible juvenile' 
        means a juvenile who is an inmate of a public institution and 
        who--
                    ``(A) was determined eligible for medical 
                assistance under the State plan immediately before 
                becoming an inmate of such a public institution; or
                    ``(B) is determined eligible for such medical 
                assistance while an inmate of a public institution.
            ``(3) Inmate of a public institution.--The term `inmate of 
        a public institution' has the meaning given such term for 
        purposes of applying the subdivision (A) following paragraph 
        (29) of section 1905(a), taking into account the exception in 
        such subdivision for a patient of a medical institution.''.
    (b) No Change in Exclusion From Medical Assistance for Inmates of 
Public Institutions.--Nothing in this section shall be construed as 
changing the exclusion from medical assistance under the subdivision 
(A) following paragraph (29) of section 1905(a) of the Social Security 
Act (42 U.S.C. 1396d(a)), including any applicable restrictions on a 
State submitting claims for Federal financial participation under title 
XIX of such Act for such assistance.
    (c) No Change in Continuity of Eligibility Before Adjudication or 
Sentencing.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to mandate, 
encourage, or suggest that a State suspend or terminate coverage for 
individuals before they have been adjudicated or sentenced.
    (d) Effective Date.--
            (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
        amendments made by subsection (a) shall apply to eligibility of 
        juveniles who become inmates of public institutions on or after 
        the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of this 
        Act.
            (2) Rule for changes requiring state legislation.--In the 
        case of a State plan for medical assistance under title XIX of 
        the Social Security Act which the Secretary of Health and Human 
        Services determines requires State legislation (other than 
        legislation appropriating funds) in order for the plan to meet 
        the additional requirements imposed by the amendments made by 
        subsection (a), the State plan shall not be regarded as failing 
        to comply with the requirements of such title solely on the 
        basis of its failure to meet these additional requirements 
        before the first day of the first calendar quarter beginning 
        after the close of the first regular session of the State 
        legislature that begins after the date of the enactment of this 
        Act. For purposes of the previous sentence, in the case of a 
        State that has a 2-year legislative session, each year of such 
        session shall be deemed to be a separate regular session of the 
        State legislature.

Summary: At-Risk Youth Medicaid Protection Act of 2018 This bill prohibits a state&nbsp;Medicaid program&nbsp;from terminating a juvenile's medical assistance eligibility because the juvenile is incarcerated.&nbsp;A state may suspend coverage while the juvenile is an inmate, but must reevaluate the juvenile's eligibility prior to the juvenile's release (without requiring a new application) and, if appropriate, restore coverage upon release.  A state must also process an application submitted by, or on behalf of, an incarcerated juvenile in a manner that ensures the juvenile's eligibility is determined upon release. A "juvenile" is an individual who: (1) is under 21 years of age; or (2) has aged out of the state's&nbsp;foster care system, was enrolled in&nbsp;the state plan while in foster care, and is under 26 years of age.