HOUSE BILL NO. 664
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H0664.................................................by HEALTH AND WELFARE
MEDICAID ELIGIBILITY - DISABLED WORKER - Adds to existing law relating to
Medicaid to provide legislative findings; to provide eligibility
requirements for workers with disabilities to qualify for Medicaid; to
provide an exception for paying a Medicaid premium; and to provide for a
premium based on income.
02/13 House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/14 Rpt prt - to Health/Wel
03/01 Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
03/02 2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/06 3rd rdg - PASSED - 65-0-5
AYES -- Anderson, Andrus, Barraclough, Barrett, Bastian, Bayer,
Bedke, Bell, Bilbao, Block, Bolz, Brackett, Bradford, Cannon,
Chadderdon, Clark, Collins, Deal, Denney, Edmunson, Ellsworth,
Eskridge, Field(18), Field(23), Garrett, Hart, Harwood, Henbest,
Henderson, Jaquet, Kemp, Lake, LeFavour, Loertscher, Martinez,
Mathews, McGeachin, Miller, Mitchell, Moyle, Nielsen, Nonini,
Pasley-Stuart, Pence, Raybould, Ring, Ringo, Roberts, Rusche,
Rydalch, Sali, Schaefer, Shepherd(2), Shepherd(8), Shirley, Skippen,
Smith(30), Smith(24), Smylie, Snodgrass, Stevenson, Trail, Wills,
Wood, Mr. Speaker
NAYS -- None
Absent and excused -- Black, Boe, Crow, McKague, Sayler
Floor Sponsor - Garrett
Title apvd - to Senate
03/07 Senate intro - 1st rdg - to Health/Wel
03/09 Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
03/10 2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/14 3rd rdg - PASSED - 35-0-0
AYES -- Andreason, Brandt, Broadsword, Bunderson, Burkett,
Burtenshaw, Cameron, Coiner, Compton, Corder, Darrington, Davis,
Fulcher, Gannon, Geddes, Goedde, Hill, Jorgenson, Kelly, Keough,
Langhorst, Little, Lodge, Malepeai, Marley, McGee, McKenzie, Pearce,
Richardson, Schroeder, Stegner, Stennett, Sweet, Werk, Williams
NAYS -- None
Absent and excused -- None
Floor Sponsors - Compton & Keough
Title apvd - to House
03/15 To enrol
03/16 Rpt enrol - Sp signed
03/17 Pres signed - To Governor
03/23 Governor signed
Session Law Chapter 174
Effective: 01/01/07
|||| LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO ||||
Fifty-eighth Legislature Second Regular Session - 2006
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
HOUSE BILL NO. 664
BY HEALTH AND WELFARE COMMITTEE
1 AN ACT
2 RELATING TO MEDICAID; AMENDING CHAPTER 2, TITLE 56, IDAHO CODE, BY THE ADDI-
3 TION OF A NEW SECTION 56-209n, IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE LEGISLATIVE FIND-
4 INGS, TO PROVIDE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR WORKERS WITH DISABILITIES TO
5 QUALIFY FOR MEDICAID, TO PROVIDE AN EXCEPTION FOR PAYING A MEDICAID PRE-
6 MIUM AND TO PROVIDE FOR A PREMIUM BASED ON INCOME; AND PROVIDING AN EFFEC-
7 TIVE DATE.
8 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
9 SECTION 1. That Chapter 2, Title 56, Idaho Code, be, and the same is
10 hereby amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and des-
11 ignated as Section 56-209n, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:
12 56-209n. MEDICAID FOR WORKERS WITH DISABILITIES. (1) The legislature
13 finds that many individuals with disabilities would like to work but cannot
14 afford to enter the workforce due to the fear of losing necessary medical ser-
15 vices received through medicaid. Idaho hereby seeks to avail itself of the
16 opportunity available through the federal ticket to work and work incentives
17 improvement act of 1999, which allows states to establish new medicaid eligi-
18 bility categories for working people with disabilities whose income or
19 resources would otherwise make them ineligible for medicaid. Eliminating bar-
20 riers to health care and other needed services and supports and creating
21 financial incentives to work will greatly improve the short and long-term
22 financial independence and well-being of people with disabilities. Medicaid
23 for workers with disabilities will serve to increase the productivity of Idaho
24 residents with disabilities and thereby enhance the economic and fiscal status
25 of this state.
26 (2) An individual is eligible to participate in the medicaid for workers
27 with disabilities program if the individual:
28 (a) Is at least sixteen (16) years of age and not more than sixty-four
29 (64) years of age;
30 (b) Has a disability as defined in title XVI of the federal social secu-
31 rity act, as amended. An individual shall be determined to be eligible
32 under this section without regard to his or her ability to engage in, or
33 actual engagement in, substantial gainful activity, as defined in section
34 223(d)(4) of the social security act (42 U.S.C. section 423(d)(4));
35 (c) Is employed, including self-employment, and has provided the depart-
36 ment of health and welfare with satisfactory written proof of employment.
37 Hourly wage or hours worked shall not be used to determine employment;
38 (d) Has countable resources of ten thousand dollars ($10,000) or less. In
39 calculating resources the following items shall be excluded: a second car,
40 life insurance policies, retirement accounts, beneficial trusts, and any
41 other resources excluded under current rules promulgated by the department
42 of health and welfare for aid to aged, blind and disabled (AABD); and
43 (e) Has countable income, after exclusions and disregards as set forth in
2
1 rules promulgated by the department of health and welfare for participants
2 receiving AABD benefits, which do not exceed five hundred percent (500%)
3 of the federal poverty level.
4 (3) An eligible individual who has an income as determined pursuant to
5 subsection (2)(e) of this section less than one hundred thirty-three percent
6 (133%) of the federal poverty level shall not be required to pay a premium for
7 medicaid.
8 (4) The department of health and welfare may require an eligible individ-
9 ual who has an income as determined pursuant to subsection (2)(e) of this sec-
10 tion of one hundred thirty-three percent (133%) to two hundred fifty percent
11 (250%) of the federal poverty level to pay a monthly premium as set forth in
12 rules promulgated by the department of health and welfare.
13 (5) An eligible individual who has an income as determined pursuant to
14 subsection (2)(e) of this section in excess of two hundred fifty percent
15 (250%) of the federal poverty level shall pay to the department of health and
16 welfare a monthly premium as a condition for continued eligibility for medic-
17 aid. The monthly premium shall be calculated by multiplying seven and one-half
18 percent (7.5%) by the amount of the individual's income as determined pursuant
19 to subsection (2)(e) of this section which is above two hundred fifty percent
20 (250%) of the federal poverty level.
21 SECTION 2. This act shall be in full force and effect on and after Janu-
22 ary 1, 2007.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
RS 15772C2
This legislation would create a Medicaid for Workers with
Disabilities (formally known as Medicaid-Buy-In) program for
Idahoans with disabilities. Medicaid for Workers with
Disabilities helps transition people to work by permitting them
to receive Medicaid while working. For people currently on
Medicaid, there is no incentive to work more than part-time,
because if they earn even one dollar too much, they lose their
Medicaid coverage. That coverage pays for the supports and
services that people with disabilities need to go to work. With
the Medicaid for Workers with Disabilities program, when the
eligible person goes to work, they pay a premium, based on a
sliding scale, which enables them to retain their coverage. The
program encourages self-sufficiency and independence instead of
trapping people in dependence and poverty.
Many people on Medicaid want to work and recognize that
employment is the way to end dependence. However, because of the
cost of their support needs and the fact that most employers
provide no insurance coverage for those supports, they must
curtail their work hours to keep their Medicaid benefits. The
Medicaid for Workers with Disabilities program helps them
gradually leave or lessen their reliance on Medicaid while
increasing their work hours and income. The program enables
people with disabilities to be contributing, tax-paying citizens.
The implementation date for this program is January 2007.
FISCAL IMPACT
The Department of Health and Welfare has estimated that the FY
2007 General Fund impact will be $233,900 and the federal fund
impact will be $424,500 for a total of $658,400.
The annualized cost for the full fiscal year in 2008 will be
$397,200 from the General Fund and $831,100 from federal funds
for a total of $1,228,300.
CONTACT:
Name: Representative Kathie Garrett
Senators Dick Compton and Shawn Keough
Phone: (208) 332-1000
Name: Kelly Buckland, State Independent Living Council
Phone: (208) 334-3800
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE H 664