2006 Legislation
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SENATE BILL NO. 1417 – Medical assistance, eligible child

SENATE BILL NO. 1417

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Bill Status



S1417............................................................by FINANCE
MEDICAL ASSISTANCE - CHILDREN - Amends existing law relating to medical
assistance to revise the definition of "eligible child"; to reference
eligible children for purposes of the children's access card program; and
to revise provisions applicable to the participation of small employers in
the small business health insurance pilot program.
                                                                        
02/24    Senate intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/27    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 - 33-0-2
      AYES -- Andreason, Brandt, Broadsword, Bunderson, Burkett,
      Burtenshaw, Cameron, Coiner, Compton, Corder, Darrington, Davis,
      Fulcher, Gannon, Geddes, Goedde, Hill, Jorgenson, Kelly, Keough,
      Langhorst, Little, Lodge, Marley, McGee, McKenzie, Pearce,
      Richardson, Schroeder, Stegner, Sweet, Werk, Williams
      NAYS -- None
      Absent and excused -- Malepeai, Stennett
    Floor Sponsor - Cameron
    Title apvd - to House
03/07    House intro - 1st rdg - to Health/Wel
03/17    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
03/20    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/21    3rd rdg - PASSED - 46-21-3
      AYES -- Anderson, Andrus, Barraclough, Bastian, Bedke, Bell, Bilbao,
      Black, Block, Boe, Bolz, Brackett, Bradford, Cannon, Chadderdon,
      Collins, Deal, Edmunson, Eskridge, Field(18), Field(23), Garrett,
      Henbest, Henderson, Jaquet, LeFavour, Martinez, Miller, Mitchell,
      Nielsen, Pasley-Stuart, Pence, Ring, Ringo, Rusche, Sayler, Schaefer,
      Shepherd(2), Shirley, Skippen, Smith(30), Smith(24), Snodgrass,
      Stevenson, Trail, Wills
      NAYS -- Barrett, Bayer, Clark, Crow, Denney, Ellsworth, Hart,
      Harwood, Kemp, Lake, Loertscher, Mathews, McGeachin, McKague, Moyle,
      Nonini, Raybould, Roberts, Rydalch, Sali, Shepherd(8)
      Absent and excused -- Smylie, Wood, Mr. Speaker
    Floor Sponsor - Henbest
    Title apvd - to Senate
03/22    To enrol
03/23    Rpt enrol - Pres signed - Sp signed
03/24    To Governor
03/30    Governor signed
         Session Law Chapter 270
         Effective: 07/01/06

Bill Text


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ]]]]              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ]]]]
 Fifty-eighth Legislature                   Second Regular Session - 2006
                                                                        
                                                                        
                                       IN THE SENATE
                                                                        
                                    SENATE BILL NO. 1417
                                                                        
                                    BY FINANCE COMMITTEE
                                                                        
  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO MEDICAL ASSISTANCE; AMENDING SECTION 56-238, IDAHO CODE,  TO  PRO-
  3        VIDE  CODE  REFERENCES  AND TO REVISE THE DEFINITION FOR "ELIGIBLE CHILD";
  4        AMENDING SECTION 56-240, IDAHO CODE, TO REFERENCE  ELIGIBLE  CHILDREN  FOR
  5        PURPOSES  OF THE CHILDREN'S ACCESS CARD PROGRAM AND TO PROVIDE CODE REFER-
  6        ENCES; AND AMENDING SECTION 56-241, IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE CODE REFERENCES
  7        AND TO REVISE PROVISIONS APPLICABLE TO THE PARTICIPATION OF SMALL  EMPLOY-
  8        ERS IN THE SMALL BUSINESS HEALTH INSURANCE PILOT PROGRAM.
                                                                        
  9    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
 10        SECTION  1.  That  Section  56-238, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
 11    amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
 12        56-238.  DEFINITIONS. As used in this act sections 56-236 through  56-242,
 13    Idaho Code:
 14        (1)  "Children's access card program" means the program created in section
 15    56-240, Idaho Code.
 16        (2)  "CHIP  Plan  A"  means the existing Idaho children's health insurance
 17    program for children eligible under federal title XXI  whose  families'  gross
 18    incomes  do not exceed one hundred fifty percent (150%) of the federal poverty
 19    guidelines.
 20        (3)  "CHIP Plan B" means the program  created  in  section  56-239,  Idaho
 21    Code.
 22        (4)  "Department" means the department of health and welfare.
 23        (5)  "Director"  means  the  director of the department of health and wel-
 24    fare.
 25        (6)  "Eligible adult" means a person:
 26        (a)  Over eighteen (18) years of age living in Idaho;
 27        (b)  Whose family's gross income is equal to  or  less  than  one  hundred
 28        eighty-five percent (185%) of the federal poverty guidelines; and
 29        (c)  Who  is  employed  full time by a small employer, meaning an employer
 30        with two (2) to fifty (50) employees and as such term is defined  in  sec-
 31        tion  41-4703, Idaho Code, and who is eligible for health insurance cover-
 32        age under a small employer health benefit plan regulated under chapter 47,
 33        title 41, Idaho Code, or the dependent spouse of such employee.
 34        (7)  "Eligible child" means a child under nineteen (19) years of age  liv-
 35    ing  in  Idaho whose family's gross income falls within federal poverty guide-
 36    lines for Medicaid, CHIP Plan A or CHIP Plan B.  Children  currently  eligible
 37    for  CHIP under federal title XXI may elect to participate in either the Idaho
 38    children's health insurance program (CHIP Plan A)  or  the  children's  access
 39    card  program.  Children  whose  family's  gross income is between one hundred
 40    fifty percent (150%) and one hundred eighty-five percent (185%) of the federal
 41    poverty guidelines may elect to participate in either the CHIP Plan B  or  the
 42    children's access card program.
 43        (8)  "Health benefit plan" means any hospital or medical policy or certif-
                                                                        
                                           2
                                                                        
  1    icate,  any subscriber contract provided by a hospital or professional service
  2    corporation, or managed care organization subscriber contract. Health  benefit
  3    plan  does not include policies or certificates of insurance for specific dis-
  4    ease, hospital confinement indemnity, accident-only, credit,  dental,  vision,
  5    medicare  supplement,  long-term care, or disability income insurance, student
  6    health benefits only coverage issued as a supplement to  liability  insurance,
  7    worker's  compensation or similar insurance, automobile medical payment insur-
  8    ance  or  nonrenewable  short-term coverage issued for a period of twelve (12)
  9    months or less.
 10        (9)  "Small business health insurance pilot  program"  means  the  program
 11    created in section 56-241, Idaho Code.
                                                                        
 12        SECTION  2.  That  Section  56-240, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
 13    amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
 14        56-240.  CHILDREN'S ACCESS CARD PROGRAM. (1) There is  hereby  created  in
 15    the  department a children's access card program that shall, through the Idaho
 16    health insurance access card program, make payments to the  insurance  company
 17    providing  coverage under a health benefit plan, as defined in section 56-238,
 18    Idaho Code, for a an eligible child. who is eligible  for  federal  title  XXI
 19    benefits  under CHIP Plan A or CHIP Plan B. In each month the insurance cover-
 20    age is in effect, a one hundred dollar ($100) payment shall be applied to  the
 21    monthly  insurance  premium  billed each month by the insurance company with a
 22    maximum payment of three hundred dollars ($300)  for  all  dependent  eligible
 23    children  in  the family. The director shall implement the program by adopting
 24    rules recommended by the board of the Idaho high risk reinsurance pool created
 25    in section 41-5502, Idaho Code.
 26        (2)  Participation in the children's access card program by  any  employer
 27    shall  be  optional. Nothing in this act sections 56-236 through 56-242, Idaho
 28    Code, shall be construed to mandate or require that an employer participate in
 29    the children's access card program.
 30        (3)  There is hereby created a children's  access  card  program  advisory
 31    board which shall advise the Idaho high risk reinsurance pool board concerning
 32    issues  related to the children's access card program. The board shall consist
 33    of eight (8) members, four (4) members to be appointed  by  the  director  and
 34    four  (4) members to be appointed by the governor. At least two (2) members of
 35    the board shall be parents of children who are eligible to participate in  the
 36    children's access card program.
                                                                        
 37        SECTION  3.  That  Section  56-241, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby
 38    amended to read as follows:
                                                                        
 39        56-241.  SMALL BUSINESS HEALTH  INSURANCE  PILOT  PROGRAM.  (1)  There  is
 40    hereby  created in the department a small business health insurance pilot pro-
 41    gram that shall be made available to  up  to  one  thousand  (1,000)  eligible
 42    adults,  as defined in section 56-238, Idaho Code, based on available funding.
 43    The director shall implement the program by adopting rules recommended by  the
 44    board  of  the  Idaho  high  risk reinsurance pool created in section 41-5502,
 45    Idaho Code, providing for the payment of the benefit authorized in  subsection
 46    (2) of this section through the use of the Idaho health insurance access card.
 47        (2)  The  small business health insurance pilot program shall, through the
 48    Idaho health insurance access card program, pay to the insurance company  pro-
 49    viding  insurance  coverage through policies regulated under chapter 47, title
 50    41, Idaho Code, for an adult enrolled in the small employer  health  insurance
 51    pilot  program, for each month the insurance coverage is in effect, a one hun-
                                                                        
                                           3
                                                                        
  1    dred dollar ($100) payment to be applied  to  the  monthly  insurance  premium
  2    billed each month by the insurance company.
  3        (3)  Participation in the small business health insurance pilot program by
  4    any  employer  shall  be optional. Nothing in this act sections 56-236 through
  5    56-242, Idaho Code, shall be construed to mandate or require that an  employer
  6    participate in the pilot program. Small employers who choose to participate in
  7    the  small  business  health insurance pilot program shall contribute at least
  8    fifty percent (50%) of the employee premium and at least fifty  percent  (50%)
  9    of  the  combination  of employee and dependent spouse contribution percentage
 10    for those employees and their dependent spouses who are enrolled in the  small
 11    business  health insurance pilot program meet insurance carriers' contribution
 12    and participation guidelines.
 13        (4)  There is hereby created a small business  health  insurance  advisory
 14    board which shall advise the Idaho high risk reinsurance pool board concerning
 15    issues related to the small business health insurance pilot program. The board
 16    shall  consist  of eight (8) members, four (4)  members to be appointed by the
 17    director and four (4) members to be appointed by the governor. At  least  four
 18    (4) members of the board shall be representatives of small businesses, meaning
 19    those with two (2) to fifty (50) employees, that offer employee health benefit
 20    plans regulated under chapter 47, title 41, Idaho Code.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact


     
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                      STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
                                
                            RS 15827
                                
     The purpose of this bill is to remove barriers to enrollment in
the Idaho Access Card program.  The bill will make two changes:

     1)  Current law allows children whose family incomes are between
150% and 185% of the federal poverty guidelines to choose between
direct coverage under CHIP B and the Access Card.  Current law also
allows children whose family incomes are between 133% and 185% of the
federal poverty guidelines to choose between direct coverage under
CHIP A and the Access Card.  This bill would allow children who are
Medicaid eligible to qualify for the Access Card program.  These
children have family incomes between 0% and either 100% or 133% of
federal poverty, depending on the age of the child.

     2)  Current law requires certain levels of employer contribution
to employee and dependent premiums in the small business health
insurance pilot program for adults.  This bill will allow small
business participation in the pilot program as long as employers meet
insurance carrier requirements for employer contributions to premiums.
                                


                         FISCAL IMPACT

     This legislation will result in savings to the General Fund of
$135,000 in fiscal year 2007 resulting from greater enrollment in the
Access Card program, which has a lower per member per month cost than
direct coverage through Medicaid, CHIP A or CHIP B.  In addition, new
health insurance coverage achieved through enrollment in the Access
Card program may reduce costs of county indigent programs, the state
catastrophic fund, and provided charity care and bad debt.

     The Access Card program is funded with excess premium tax and
federal match of 80% to 20% state funds.  In fiscal year 2005,
$1,990,700 in dedicated premium tax funds went unspent due to low
enrollment in the Access Card program, which caused the state to
forfeit $7,962,800 in federal match.





Contact
Name: Sen. Dean Cameron, Rep. Bill Deal, Rep. Margaret Henbest
Phone: 334-4735 (Sen. Cameron) 
Name: Kate VandenBroek, Dept. of Health and Welfare (364-1909)


STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE                        S 1417   

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