[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2610 Introduced in House (IH)]
107th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2610
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 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 24, 2001
Mrs. Lowey (for herself, Mr. Hyde, and Mr. Murtha) introduced the
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and
Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
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 2001''.
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 pregnancy-related services (as defined in regulation
for purposes of title XIX).
``(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 reference in section 2107(e)(1)(D) to section
1920A (relating to presumptive eligibility for children) is
deemed a reference to section 1920 (relating to presumptive
eligibility for pregnant women).
``(5) The medicaid applicable income level is deemed a
reference to the income level established under section
1902(l)(2)(A).
``(6) 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).
``(7) 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) Application of Qualified Entities to Presumptive Eligibility
for Pregnant Women Under Medicaid.--Section 1920(b) of the Social
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396r-1(b)) is amended by adding at the end
after and below paragraph (2) the following flush sentence:
``The term `qualified provider' includes a qualified entity as defined
in section 1920A(b)(3).''.
(c) Conforming Amendments.--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, if the State
provides for coverage of pregnancy-related
assistance for targeted low-income pregnant
women in accordance with section 2111.''.
(d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section take
effect on the date of enactment of this Act and 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 or title XIX, 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 under such plan (or, in the case of a
State that provides such assistance through the provision of medical
assistance under a plan under title XIX to have applied for medical
assistance under such title and to have been found eligible for such
assistance under such title on the date of such birth) and to remain
eligible for such assistance until the child attains 1 year of age, so
long as the child is a member of the woman's household.''.
(b) Effective Date.--The amendment made by subsection (a) takes
effect on the date of enactment of this Act and applies 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''; and
(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.''.
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