[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1049 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1049

  To amend title XXI of the Social Security Act to provide grants to 
promote innovative outreach and enrollment under the medicaid and State 
     children's health insurance programs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                              May 17, 2005

  Mr. Frist (for himself, Mr. Bingaman, Mr. Lugar, Ms. Cantwell, Mr. 
 Santorum, Ms. Collins, Mr. Cochran, Mrs. Murray, and Mrs. Feinstein) 
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 grants to 
promote innovative outreach and enrollment under the medicaid and State 
     children's health insurance programs, and for other purposes.

    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 ``Covering Kids Act of 2005''.

SEC. 2. GRANTS TO PROMOTE INNOVATIVE OUTREACH AND ENROLLMENT UNDER 
              MEDICAID AND SCHIP.

    (a) Grants for Expanded Outreach Activities.--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. EXPANDED OUTREACH ACTIVITIES.

    ``(a) Grants To Conduct Innovative Outreach and Enrollment 
Efforts.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall award grants to 
        eligible entities to--
                    ``(A) conduct innovative outreach and enrollment 
                efforts that are designed to increase the enrollment 
                and participation of eligible children under this title 
                and title XIX; and
                    ``(B) promote understanding of the importance of 
                health insurance coverage for prenatal care and 
                children.
            ``(2) Performance bonuses.--The Secretary may reserve a 
        portion of the funds appropriated under subsection (g) for a 
        fiscal year for the purpose of awarding performance bonuses 
        during the succeeding fiscal year to eligible entities that 
        meet enrollment goals or other criteria established by the 
        Secretary.
    ``(b) Priority for Award of Grants.--
            ``(1) In general.--In making grants under subsection 
        (a)(1), the Secretary shall give priority to--
                    ``(A) eligible entities that propose to target 
                geographic areas with high rates of--
                            ``(i) eligible but unenrolled children, 
                        including such children who reside in rural 
                        areas; or
                            ``(ii) racial and ethnic minorities and 
                        health disparity populations, including those 
                        proposals that address cultural and linguistic 
                        barriers to enrollment; and
                    ``(B) eligible entities that plan to engage in 
                outreach efforts with respect to individuals described 
                in subparagraph (A) and that are--
                            ``(i) Federal health safety net 
                        organizations; or
                            ``(ii) faith-based organizations or 
                        consortia.
            ``(2) 10 percent set aside for outreach to indian 
        children.--An amount equal to 10 percent of the funds 
        appropriated under subsection (g) for a fiscal year shall be 
        used by the Secretary to award grants to Indian Health Service 
        providers and urban Indian organizations receiving funds under 
        title V of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 
        1651 et seq.) for outreach to, and enrollment of, children who 
        are Indians.
    ``(c) Application.--An eligible entity that desires to receive a 
grant under subsection (a)(1) shall submit an application to the 
Secretary in such form and manner, and containing such information, as 
the Secretary may decide. Such application shall include--
            ``(1) quality and outcomes performance measures to evaluate 
        the effectiveness of activities funded by a grant awarded under 
        this section to ensure that the activities are meeting their 
        goals; and
            ``(2) an assurance that the entity shall--
                    ``(A) conduct an assessment of the effectiveness of 
                such activities against such performance measures; and
                    ``(B) cooperate with the collection and reporting 
                of enrollment data and other information determined as 
                a result of conducting such assessments to the 
                Secretary, in such form and manner as the Secretary 
                shall require.
    ``(d) Dissemination of Enrollment Data and Information Determined 
From Effectiveness Assessments; Annual Report.--The Secretary shall--
            ``(1) disseminate to eligible entities and make publicly 
        available the enrollment data and information collected and 
        reported in accordance with subsection (c)(2)(B); and
            ``(2) submit an annual report to Congress on the outreach 
        activities funded by grants awarded under this section.
    ``(e) Supplement, Not Supplant.--Federal funds awarded under this 
section shall be used to supplement, not supplant, non-Federal funds 
that are otherwise available for activities funded under this section.
    ``(f) Definitions.--In this section:
            ``(1) Eligible entity.--The term `eligible entity' means 
        any of the following:
                    ``(A) A State or local government.
                    ``(B) A Federal health safety net organization.
                    ``(C) A national, local, or community-based public 
                or nonprofit private organization.
                    ``(D) A faith-based organization or consortia, to 
                the extent that a grant awarded to such an entity is 
                consistent with the requirements of section 1955 of the 
                Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 300x-65) relating 
                to a grant award to non-governmental entities.
                    ``(E) An elementary or secondary school.
            ``(2) Federal health safety net organization.--The term 
        `Federal health safety net organization' means--
                    ``(A) an Indian tribe, tribal organization, or an 
                urban Indian organization receiving funds under title V 
                of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 
                1651 et seq.), or an Indian Health Service provider;
                    ``(B) a Federally-qualified health center (as 
                defined in section 1905(l)(2)(B));
                    ``(C) a hospital defined as a disproportionate 
                share hospital for purposes of section 1923;
                    ``(D) a covered entity described in section 
                340B(a)(4) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C. 
                256b(a)(4)); and
                    ``(E) any other entity or a consortium that serves 
                children under a federally-funded program, including 
                the special supplemental nutrition program for women, 
                infants, and children (WIC) established under section 
                17 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786), 
                the head start and early head start programs under the 
                Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9801 et seq.), the school 
                lunch program established under the Richard B. Russell 
                National School Lunch Act, and an elementary or 
                secondary school.
            ``(3) Indians; indian tribe; tribal organization; urban 
        indian organization.--The terms `Indian', `Indian tribe', 
        `tribal organization', and `urban Indian organization' have the 
        meanings given such terms in section 4 of the Indian Health 
        Care Improvement Act (25 U.S.C. 1603).
    ``(g) Appropriation.--There is appropriated, out of any money in 
the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $50,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2006 and 2007 for the purpose of awarding grants under this 
section. Amounts appropriated and paid under the authority of this 
section shall be in addition to amounts appropriated under section 2104 
and paid to States in accordance with section 2105, including with 
respect to expenditures for outreach activities in accordance with 
subsection (a)(1)(D)(iii) of that section.''.
    (b) Extending Use of Outstationed Workers To Accept Title XXI 
Applications.--Section 1902(a)(55) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1396a(a)(55)) is amended by striking ``or (a)(10)(A)(ii)(IX)'' 
and inserting ``(a)(10)(A)(ii)(IX), or (a)(10)(A)(ii)(XIV), and 
applications for child health assistance under title XXI''.

SEC. 3. STATE OPTION TO PROVIDE FOR SIMPLIFIED DETERMINATIONS OF A 
              CHILD'S FINANCIAL ELIGIBILITY FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE 
              UNDER MEDICAID OR CHILD HEALTH ASSISTANCE UNDER SCHIP.

    (a) Medicaid.--Section 1902(e) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1396a(e)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(13)(A) At the option of the State, the plan may provide 
        that financial eligibility requirements for medical assistance 
        are met for a child who is under an age specified by the State 
        (not to exceed 21 years of age) by using a determination made 
        within a reasonable period (as determined by the State) before 
        its use for this purpose, of the child's family or household 
        income, or if applicable for purposes of determining 
        eligibility under this title or title XXI, assets or resources, 
        by a Federal or State agency, or a public or private entity 
        making such determination on behalf of such agency, specified 
        by the plan, including (but not limited to) an agency 
        administering the State program funded under part A of title 
        IV, the Food Stamp Act of 1977, the Richard B. Russell National 
        School Lunch Act, or the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, 
        notwithstanding any differences in budget unit, disregard, 
        deeming, or other methodology, but only if--
                    ``(i) the agency has fiscal liabilities or 
                responsibilities affected or potentially affected by 
                such determination; and
                    ``(ii) any information furnished by the agency 
                pursuant to this subparagraph is used solely for 
                purposes of determining financial eligibility for 
                medical assistance under this title or for child health 
                assistance under title XXI.
            ``(B) Nothing in subparagraph (A) shall be construed--
                    ``(i) to authorize the denial of medical assistance 
                under this title or of child health assistance under 
                title XXI to a child who, without the application of 
                this paragraph, would qualify for such assistance;
                    ``(ii) to relieve a State of the obligation under 
                subsection (a)(8) to furnish medical assistance with 
                reasonable promptness after the submission of an 
                initial application that is evaluated or for which 
                evaluation is requested pursuant to this paragraph;
                    ``(iii) to relieve a State of the obligation to 
                determine eligibility for medical assistance under this 
                title or for child health assistance under title XXI on 
                a basis other than family or household income (or, if 
                applicable, assets or resources) if a child is 
                determined ineligible for such assistance on the basis 
                of information furnished pursuant to this paragraph; or
                    ``(iv) as affecting the applicability of any non-
                financial requirements for eligibility for medical 
                assistance under this title or child health assistance 
                under title XXI.''.
    (b) SCHIP.--Section 2107(e)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 
U.S.C. 1397gg(e)(1)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(E) Section 1902(e)(13) (relating to the State 
                option to base a determination of child's financial 
                eligibility for assistance on financial determinations 
                made by a program providing nutrition or other public 
                assistance).''.
    (c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section take 
effect on October 1, 2005.
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