FIRST REGULAR SESSION
94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES BAKER (25) (Sponsor), FALLERT, DONNELLY, LeVOTA, CHAPPELLE-NADAL, STORCH, LOWE (44), DARROUGH, KRATKY, HUGHES, NASHEED, KOMO, BURNETT, PAGE, KUESSNER, HOLSMAN, SWINGER, TALBOY, WITTE, GEORGE, McCLANAHAN, LIESE, CORCORAN, SCHIEFFER, MEINERS, HODGES, FRAME, SCHOEMEHL, SKAGGS, GRILL, HARRIS (23), LOW (39), SHIVELY, SALVA, ROORDA, BOWMAN, WALTON, NORR, MEADOWS, LAMPE, HAYWOOD, CURLS, DAUS, RUCKER, OXFORD, WILDBERGER, AULL, ZWEIFEL, YAEGER, VOGT AND ZIMMERMAN (Co-sponsors).
Read 1st time February 28, 2007 and copies ordered printed.
D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To repeal sections 208.014 and 208.631, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof three new sections relating to state medical assistance programs.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Sections 208.014 and 208.631, RSMo, are repealed and three new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 208.014, 208.631, and 208.730, to read as follows:
208.014. 1. There is hereby established the "Medicaid Reform Commission". The commission shall have as its purpose the study and review of recommendations for reforms of the state Medicaid system. The commission shall consist of ten members:
(1) Five members of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker; and
(2) Five members of the senate appointed by the pro tem.
No more than three members from each house shall be of the same political party. The directors of the department of social services, the department of health and senior services, and the department of mental health or the directors' designees shall serve as ex officio members of the commission.
2. Members of the commission shall be reimbursed for the actual and necessary expenses incurred in the discharge of the member's official duties.
3. A chair of the commission shall be selected by the members of the commission.
4. The commission shall meet as necessary.
5. The commission is authorized to contract with a consultant. The compensation of the consultant and other personnel shall be paid from the joint contingent fund or jointly from the senate and house contingent funds until an appropriation is made therefor.
6. The commission shall make recommendations in a report to the general assembly by January 1, 2006, on reforming, redesigning, and restructuring a new, innovative state Medicaid healthcare delivery system under Title XIX, Public Law 89-97, 1965, amendments to the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Section 30 et. seq.) as amended, to replace the current state Medicaid system under Title XIX, Public Law 89-97, 1965, amendments to the federal Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Section 30, et seq.)[, which shall sunset on June 30, 2008].
208.631. 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the department of social services shall establish a program to pay for health care for uninsured children. Coverage pursuant to sections 208.631 to 208.660 is subject to appropriation. [The provisions of sections 208.631 to 208.657 shall be void and of no effect after June 30, 2008.]
2. For the purposes of sections 208.631 to 208.657, "children" are persons up to nineteen years of age. "Uninsured children" are persons up to nineteen years of age who are emancipated and do not have access to affordable employer-subsidized health care insurance or other health care coverage or persons whose parent or guardian have not had access to affordable employer-subsidized health care insurance or other health care coverage for their children for six months prior to application, are residents of the state of Missouri, and have parents or guardians who meet the requirements in section 208.636. A child who is eligible for medical assistance as authorized in section 208.151 is not uninsured for the purposes of sections 208.631 to 208.657.
208.730. 1. Recognizing that many Missourians do not have health care benefits or health insurance, that health care costs are rising faster than wages, that many small businesses cannot afford to provide health care benefits to their employees, that many employees cannot afford employer-sponsored insurance, that some employers choose not to offer health care benefits, and that Medicaid eligibility and services have been substantially reduced, the Missouri general assembly hereby establishes provisions with the goal of guaranteeing quality affordable health care for every Missourian.
2. Recognizing that the state Medicaid program and the MC+ for kids program are administratively cost-effective, efficient, and successful programs for providing health insurance to low-income Missourians, including children, parents, seniors, and individuals with disabilities, that these programs have reduced Missouri's rate of uninsured, that the state Medicaid program and MC+ for kids program have improved access to health care and have resulted in better health outcomes for low-income Missourians, seniors, and children, and that reductions in the state Medicaid program have increased the number of uninsured Missourians and shifted the cost burden to hospitals and privately-insured Missourians, the department of social services shall strengthen the state Medicaid program and MC+ for kids program as part of Missouri's comprehensive strategy to reduce and eliminate its uninsured population by implementing the following:
(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, eligibility requirements in the state Medicaid program shall be no more restrictive than those in effect on January 1, 2005; except that, for Medicaid eligibility for custodial parents, noncustodial parents, extended transitional medical assistance, and extended women's health services, the eligibility requirements shall be no more restrictive than the January 1, 2002, eligibility requirements; and
(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, state Medicaid services, cost-sharing (including co-payments and premiums), long-term care services criteria, and MC+ for kids affordability standards shall be no more restrictive than the state Medicaid program requirements in effect on January 1, 2005.
3. Recognizing that investing in health care for all Missourians is a critically important investment in the future good of all Missourians, as well as a sound economic investment, the general assembly shall:
(1) By June 1, 2009, develop a plan that outlines a Missouri solution to provide access to affordable, high-quality health care for all Missourians;
(2) Take all necessary steps to ensure meaningful public input into each step of developing the plan. Public meetings and/or hearings shall be held concerning the development of such plan, and the general assembly shall ensure that there is meaningful input from consumers, advocates, health care providers, businesses, and state officials throughout the process; and
(3) Base the plan on best practices that have proven effective in providing access to affordable, high-quality health care.
Any implemented changes shall be subject to annual review and evaluation of the impact on providers as well as its impact on those insured.
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