[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1717 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                 S. 1717

 To amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage 
of pregnancy-related assistance for targeted low-income pregnant women.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 12, 1999

  Mr. Bond (for himself, Mr. Breaux, Mr. McCain, Mr. Baucus, and Mrs. 
   Lincoln) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
                  referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to provide for coverage 
of pregnancy-related assistance for targeted low-income 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 ``Mothers and Newborns Health 
Insurance Act of 1999''.

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 (42 U.S.C. 
1397aa et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

``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 
        pre-pregnancy 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, and no waiting period (including a waiting period to 
        carry out section 2102(b)(3)(C)) shall apply.
    ``(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) Conforming Amendment.--Section 2102(b)(1)(B) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397bb(b)(1)(B)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of clause (i);
            (2) by striking the period at the end of clause (ii) and 
        inserting ``, and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
                            ``(iii) may not apply a waiting period 
                        (including a waiting period to carry out 
                        paragraph (3)(C)) in the case of a targeted 
                        low-income child who is pregnant.''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) 
shall take effect on the date of the enactment of this Act and shall 
apply to allotments under title XXI of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1397aa et seq.) for all fiscal years.

SEC. 3. AUTOMATIC ENROLLMENT FOR CHILDREN BORN TO WOMEN RECEIVING 
              PREGNANCY-RELATED ASSISTANCE.

    (a) In General.--Section 2111 of the Social Security Act, as added 
by section 2, is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(f) Automatic Enrollment for Children Born to Women Receiving 
Pregnancy-Related Assistance.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
this title, if a child is born to a targeted low-income pregnant woman 
who was receiving pregnancy-related assistance under this section on 
the date of the child's birth, the child shall be deemed to have 
applied for child health assistance under the State child health plan 
on the date of such birth, to have been found eligible for such 
assistance on such date, and to remain eligible for such assistance 
until the child attains 1 year of age.''.
    (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 under title XXI of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397aa 
et seq.) for all fiscal years.

SEC. 4. EXPANDED AVAILABILITY OF FUNDING FOR ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS 
              RELATED TO OUTREACH AND ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATIONS.

    Section 1931(h) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396u-1(h)) 
is amended--
            (1) by striking the subsection heading and inserting 
        ``Increased Federal Matching Rate for Administrative Costs 
        Related to Outreach and Eligibility Determinations'';
            (2) in paragraph (2), by striking ``eligibility 
        determinations'' and all that follows and inserting 
        ``determinations of the eligibility of children and pregnant 
        women for benefits under the State plan under this title or 
        title XXI, outreach to children and pregnant women likely to be 
        eligible for such benefits, and such other outreach- and 
        eligibility-related activities as the Secretary may approve.'';
            (3) in paragraph (3), by striking ``and ending with fiscal 
        year 2000''; and
            (4) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following:
            ``(4) Encouraging use of local and community-based 
        organizations in outreach and enrollment activities.--The 
        Secretary shall establish a procedure under which, if a State 
        does not otherwise obligate the amounts made available under 
        this subsection, local and community-based public or nonprofit 
        private organizations (including local and county governments, 
        public health departments, community health centers, children's 
        hospitals, and disproportionate share hospitals) may seek to 
        have administrative costs relating to outreach and enrollment 
        of children and pregnant women under this title and title XXI 
        treated as administrative costs of a State described in section 
        1903(a)(7), if such organizations have the permission of the 
        State involved. A State may require such an organization to 
        provide payment of such amounts as the State would otherwise be 
        responsible for in order to obtain payment under this 
        paragraph.''.
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