Medical Assistance Income Eligibility Requirements

The act aligns the medicaid and children's basic health plan income eligibility requirements for pregnant women and children with federal law. Current law requires money in the healthcare affordability and sustainability fee cash fund (fund) to be used to expand eligibility for medicaid by increasing the income eligibility level for children and pregnant women under the children's basic health plan to up to 250% of the federal poverty line. The act increases the eligibility level to up to 260%. Under current law, if the money in the fund is insufficient to fully fund all the purposes of the fund, the medical services board (state board) may reduce the percentage of the federal poverty level. The act authorizes the state board to reduce the percentage of the federal poverty level to below 260%, but not below 250%. The act increases the medicaid income eligibility level for pregnant women from 185% of the federal poverty level to 195% of the federal poverty level, adjusted for family size. The act increases the income eligibility level under the children's basic health plan for children and pregnant women from 250% of the federal poverty level to 260% of the federal poverty level.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)