[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2976 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







106th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                S. 2976

   To amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to allow States to 
 provide health benefits coverage for parents of children eligible for 
  child health assistance under the State children's health insurance 
                                program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 27, 2000

 Mrs. Feinstein (for herself, Mr. Byrd, and Mrs. Boxer) 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 allow States to 
 provide health benefits coverage for parents of children eligible for 
  child health assistance under the State children's health insurance 
                                program.

    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 ``Family Health Insurance Program Act 
of 2000''.

SEC. 2. STATE OPTION TO PROVIDE HEALTH BENEFITS COVERAGE FOR PARENTS OF 
              CHILDREN ELIGIBLE FOR CHILD HEALTH ASSISTANCE UNDER THE 
              STATE CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM.

    (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 new 
section:

``SEC. 2111. OPTIONAL COVERAGE OF PARENTS OF TARGETED LOW-INCOME 
              CHILDREN.

    ``(a) Optional Coverage.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
this title, a State child health plan may provide for coverage, through 
an amendment to its State child health plan under section 2102, of 
parental health assistance for targeted low-income parents in 
accordance with this section.
    ``(b) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Parental health assistance.--The term `parental 
        health 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 
        parents.
            ``(2) Targeted low-income parent.--The term `targeted low-
        income parent' means an individual who--
                    ``(A) is a parent of a targeted low-income child or 
                of a child who would be a targeted low-income child but 
                for the child's eligibility for medical assistance 
                under title XIX; and
                    ``(B) otherwise satisfies the requirements for a 
                child to be a targeted low-income child (as described 
                in section 2110(b)).
            ``(3) Parent.--The term `parent' means an individual who is 
        a caretaker relative of a child described in paragraph (2)(A). 
        Such term includes parents, stepparents with whom the child 
        resides, appointed guardians, grandparents, and other 
        relatives.
    ``(c) References to Terms and Special Rules.--In the case of, and 
with respect to, a State providing for coverage of parental health 
assistance to targeted low-income parents under subsection (a), the 
following special rules apply:
            ``(1) Any reference in this title (other than in subsection 
        (b)) to a targeted low-income child is deemed to include a 
        reference to a targeted low-income parent.
            ``(2) Any such reference to child health assistance with 
        respect to such a parent is deemed a reference to parental 
        health assistance.
            ``(3) Any such reference to a child (other than in section 
        2104(b)) is deemed a reference to a parent of such child.
            ``(4) In applying section 2103(e)(3)(B) in the case of a 
        parent provided coverage under this section, the limitation on 
        total annual aggregate cost-sharing shall be applied to the 
        entire family.
            ``(5) Section 2105(c)(3) shall be applied without regard to 
        subparagraph (A).
            ``(6) Section 1905(u)(2)(A) shall be applied as if any 
        reference to optional targeted low-income children includes a 
        reference to targeted low-income parents.
    ``(d) Rules of Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be 
construed--
            ``(1) as affecting--
                    ``(A) the total amount available for allotments 
                under section 2104(a); or
                    ``(B) the amount of the allotment provided to a 
                State under section 2104(b); or
            ``(2) as requiring a State to provide parental health 
        assistance to all targeted low-income parents.''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by this section applies to 
items and services furnished on or after October 1, 2000.
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