SECOND REGULAR SESSION
94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES HOLSMAN (Sponsor), TALBOY, HUGHES, ROORDA, BLAND, GEORGE, VOGT, CURLS, SKAGGS, OXFORD, MEINERS, CHAPPELLE-NADAL, DAUS, FRAME, LOW (39), BURNETT AND WILDBERGER (Co-sponsors).
Read 1st time March 12, 2008 and copies ordered printed.
D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To repeal sections 208.631 and 208.633, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof two new sections relating to universal health insurance coverage for all children.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Sections 208.631 and 208.633, RSMo, are repealed and two new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 208.631 and 208.633, to read as follows:
208.631. 1. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the MO HealthNet division shall establish a program to pay for health care for uninsured children and offer insurance coverage to all children in this state. Coverage pursuant to sections 208.631 to 208.659 is subject to appropriation. The provisions of sections 208.631 to [208.569] 208.657, health care for uninsured children, shall be void and of no effect if there are no funds of the United States appropriated by Congress to be provided to the state on the basis of a state plan approved by the federal government under the federal Social Security Act. If funds are appropriated by the United States Congress, the department of social services is authorized to manage the state children's health insurance program (SCHIP) allotment in order to ensure that the state receives maximum federal financial participation. Children in households with incomes up to one hundred fifty percent of the federal poverty level may meet all Title XIX program guidelines as required by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Children in households with incomes of one hundred fifty percent to three hundred percent of the federal poverty level shall continue to be eligible as they were and receive services as they did on June 30, 2007, unless changed by the Missouri general assembly.
2. For the purposes of sections 208.631 to [208.659] 208.657, "children" are persons up to nineteen years of age or children up to age twenty-four who are enrolled full time in an institution of higher education and are working towards completion of a degree program. "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 MO HealthNet benefits as authorized in section 208.151 is not uninsured for the purposes of sections 208.631 to [208.659] 208.657.
208.633. 1. The department of social services is authorized to pay for coverage of health care services for uninsured children whose parents or guardians have an available income between zero percent and one hundred eighty-five percent, between one hundred eighty-six percent and two hundred twenty-five percent, between two hundred twenty-six percent and two hundred fifty percent, between two hundred fifty-one percent and two hundred seventy-five percent and between two hundred seventy-six percent and three hundred percent of the federal poverty level, subject to appropriation.
2. Beginning January 1, 2009, the department of social services shall offer health insurance coverage to all children residing in this state, regardless of household income. Such offer of coverage shall be subject to the following:
(1) All children residing in the state of Missouri shall be eligible to purchase health insurance coverage under this subsection at a premium rate equal to the amount paid by the state for coverage of eligible uninsured children under sections 208.631 to 208.657;
(2) Any eligible child between the ages of nineteen and twenty-four shall be attending high school, working towards a GED, or enrolled in an institution of higher education on a full-time basis working towards completion of a degree program. In addition, any child enrolled in an institution of higher education shall be a Missouri income taxpayer or claimed as a dependent of a Missouri income taxpayer;
(3) Such health insurance coverage shall include dental coverage;
(4) The parents and guardians of eligible children under this subsection are responsible for paying the monthly premium and any applicable copayments and deductibles established by the department for such health insurance coverage;
(5) The department may promulgate rules to implement the provisions of this subsection.
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