[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 33 (Tuesday, March 1, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1166-S1167]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3383. Mr. MARKEY submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by 
him to the bill S. 524, to authorize the Attorney General to award 
grants to address the national epidemics of prescription opioid abuse 
and heroin use; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       At the end of title VII, add the following:

     SEC. __. SUSPENSION OF MEDICAID BENEFITS FOR INMATES OF 
                   PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS.

       (a) In General.--Section 1902(a) of the Social Security Act 
     (42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)) is amended by inserting after paragraph 
     (77) the following new paragraph:
       ``(78) provide that the State shall not terminate (but may 
     suspend) enrollment under a State plan for medical assistance 
     for an individual who is an inmate of a public institution 
     and was enrolled for medical assistance under the State plan 
     immediately before becoming an inmate of such a public 
     institution or who becomes eligible to enroll for such 
     medical assistance while an inmate of a public 
     institution;''.

[[Page S1167]]

       (b) Effective Date.--
       (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), the 
     amendment made by subsection (a) shall apply to the 
     eligibility and enrollment of individuals who become inmates 
     of public institutions on or after the date that is 1 year 
     after the date of the enactment of this Act.
       (2) Rule for changes requiring state legislation.--In the 
     case of a State plan for medical assistance under title XIX 
     of the Social Security Act which the Secretary of Health and 
     Human Services determines requires State legislation (other 
     than legislation appropriating funds) in order for the plan 
     to meet the additional requirements imposed by the amendment 
     made by subsection (a), the State plan shall not be regarded 
     as failing to comply with the requirements of such title 
     solely on the basis of its failure to meet these additional 
     requirements before the first day of the first calendar 
     quarter beginning after the close of the first regular 
     session of the State legislature that begins after the date 
     of the enactment of this Act. For purposes of the previous 
     sentence, in the case of a State that has a 2-year 
     legislative session, each year of such session shall be 
     deemed to be a separate regular session of the State 
     legislature.
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