[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3837 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 3837

 To amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to permit States to use 
funds under the State Children's Health Insurance Program for coverage 
                      of uninsured pregnant women.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 12, 1998

 Mr. Hyde (for himself and Mrs. Lowey) introduced the following bill; 
         which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to permit States to use 
funds under the State Children's Health Insurance Program for coverage 
                      of uninsured pregnant women.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Safe and Healthy Motherhood Act of 
1998''.

SEC. 2. OPTIONAL COVERAGE OF LOW-INCOME, UNINSURED PREGNANT WOMEN UNDER 
              A STATE CHILD HEALTH PLAN.

    (a) In General.--Title XXI of the Social Security Act is amended by 
adding at the end the following new section:

``SEC. 2111. OPTIONAL COVERAGE OF LOW-INCOME, UNINSURED PREGNANT WOMEN.

    ``(a) Optional Coverage.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
this title, a State child health plan may provide for coverage of 
pregnancy-related assistance for targeted low-income pregnant women in 
accordance with this section.
    ``(b) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
            ``(1) Pregnancy-related assistance.--The term `pregnancy-
        related assistance' has the meaning given the term child health 
        assistance in section 2110(a) as if any reference to targeted 
        low-income children were a reference to targeted low-income 
        pregnant women, except that the assistance shall be limited to 
        services related to pregnancy (which include prenatal, 
        delivery, and postpartum services) and to other conditions that 
        may complicate pregnancy and shall not include prepregnancy 
        services and supplies.
            ``(2) Targeted low-income pregnant woman.--The term 
        `targeted low-income pregnant woman' has the meaning given the 
        term targeted low-income child in section 2110(b) as if any 
        reference to a child were deemed a reference to a woman during 
        pregnancy and through the end of the month in which the 60-day 
        period (beginning on the last day of her pregnancy) ends.
    ``(c) References to Terms and Special Rules.--In the case of, and 
with respect to, a State providing for coverage of pregnancy-related 
assistance to targeted low-income pregnant women under subsection (a), 
the following special rules apply:
            ``(1) Any reference in this title (other than subsection 
        (b)) to a targeted low income child is deemed to include a 
        reference to a targeted low-income pregnant woman.
            ``(2) Any such reference to child health assistance with 
        respect to such women is deemed a reference to pregnancy-
        related assistance.
            ``(3) Any such reference to a child is deemed a reference 
        to a woman during pregnancy and the period described in 
        subsection (b)(2).
            ``(4) The medicaid applicable income level is deemed a 
        reference to the income level established under section 
        1902(l)(2)(A).
            ``(5) Subsection (a) of section 2103 (relating to required 
        scope of health insurance coverage) shall not apply insofar as 
        a State limits coverage to services described in subsection 
        (b)(1) and the reference to such section in section 2105(a)(1) 
        is deemed not to require, in such case, compliance with the 
        requirements of section 2103(a).
            ``(6) There shall be no exclusion of benefits for services 
        described in subsection (b)(1) based on any pre-existing 
        condition.
    ``(d) No Impact on Allotments.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed as affecting the amount of any initial allotment provided to 
a State under section 2104(b).
    ``(e) Application of Funding Restrictions.--The coverage under this 
section (and the funding of such coverage) is subject to the 
restrictions of section 2105(c).''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) shall 
take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act and shall apply to 
allotments for all fiscal years.
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