Signed by Governor Rick Snyder

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with Senate amendments and pass a bill that expands Medicaid eligibility.

Highlights:

• Requires the Department of Community Health to apply for a federal waiver granting the department certain authorizations including, but not limited to, the following authorizations (Sec. 105):
• The authorization to enroll an individual into a contracted health plan with a health expense account if the individual has an annual income up to 133 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, is under 65 years of age, and is not otherwise eligible for medical assistance;
• The authorization to require enrollees with an annual income between 100 percent and 133 percent of the federal poverty guidelines to contribute up to 5 percent of their income for medical assistance cost-sharing; and
• The authorization to require all new enrollees to schedule an initial appointment with their primary care practitioner within 60 days of enrolling.

• Appropriates $1.54 million to the department from federal revenues for implementing the expanded medical assistance program (Sec. 105).

• Prohibits the department from enrolling newly-eligible individuals for medical assistance if either of the following events occur (Sec. 105):
• The department is unable to obtain a federal waiver; or
• The federal funds for the expanded program are reduced below 100 percent and the state’s savings from the program are insufficient to cover the reduction.

• Specifies that if the federal waiver is not approved by December 31, 2015, expanded medical assistance will no longer be provided and notice will be given to enrollees that the expanded program will be terminated on April 30, 2016 (Sec. 105).

• Requires a hospital that participates in the medical assistance program to accept 115 percent of Medicare rates as payment in full from an uninsured individual with an income level up to 250 percent of the federal poverty guidelines (Sec. 105).

• Requires the department to apply for a separate federal waiver to require a newly-eligible individual to choose between the following 2 options after receiving medical assistance for 48 cumulative months (Sec. 105):
• The option to purchase private insurance through an American health benefit exchange; or
• The option to stay in the medical assistance program and increase his or her cost-sharing requirement from 5 to 7 percent of the individual’s annual income.

• Authorizes a reduction in an enrollee’s cost-sharing contributions if the individual meets specific goals for healthy behavior including, but not limited to, completing an annual health risk assessment to identify “unhealthy characteristics” such as alcohol and tobacco use, obesity, and immunization status (Sec. 105).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that expands Medicaid eligibility.

Highlights:

• Requires the Department of Community Health to apply for a federal waiver granting the department certain authorizations including, but not limited to, the following authorizations (Sec. 105):
• The authorization to enroll an individual into a contracted health plan with a health expense account if the individual has an annual income up to 133 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, is under 65 years of age, and is not otherwise eligible for medical assistance;
• The authorization to require enrollees with an annual income between 100 percent and 133 percent of the federal poverty guidelines to contribute up to 5 percent of their income for medical assistance cost-sharing; and
• The authorization to require all new enrollees to schedule an initial appointment with their primary care practitioner within 60 days of enrolling.

• Appropriates $1.54 million to the department from federal revenues for implementing the expanded medical assistance program (Sec. 105).

• Prohibits the department from enrolling newly-eligible individuals for medical assistance if either of the following events occur (Sec. 105):
• The department is unable to obtain a federal waiver; or
• The federal funds for the expanded program are reduced below 100 percent and the state’s savings from the program are insufficient to cover the reduction.

• Specifies that if the federal waiver is not approved by December 31, 2015, expanded medical assistance will no longer be provided and notice will be given to enrollees that the expanded program will be terminated on April 30, 2016 (Sec. 105).

• Requires a hospital that participates in the medical assistance program to accept 115 percent of Medicare rates as payment in full from an uninsured individual with an income level up to 250 percent of the federal poverty guidelines (Sec. 105).

• Requires the department to apply for a separate federal waiver to require a newly-eligible individual to choose between the following 2 options after receiving medical assistance for 48 cumulative months (Sec. 105):
• The option to purchase private insurance through an American health benefit exchange; or
• The option to stay in the medical assistance program and increase his or her cost-sharing requirement from 5 to 7 percent of the individual’s annual income.

• Authorizes a reduction in an enrollee’s cost-sharing contributions if the individual meets specific goals for healthy behavior including, but not limited to, completing an annual health risk assessment to identify “unhealthy characteristics” such as alcohol and tobacco use, obesity, and immunization status (Sec. 105).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that expands Medicaid eligibility.

Highlights:

• Requires the Department of Community Health to apply for a federal waiver granting the department certain authorizations including, but not limited to, the following authorizations (Sec. 105):
• The authorization to enroll an individual into a contracted health plan with a health expense account if the individual has an annual income up to 133 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, is under 65 years of age, and is not otherwise eligible for medical assistance; and
• The authorization to require enrollees with an annual income between 100 percent and 133 percent of the federal poverty guidelines to contribute up to 5 percent of their income for medical assistance cost-sharing.

• Prohibits the department from enrolling newly-eligible individuals for medical assistance if the department is unable to obtain a federal waiver (Sec. 105).

• Specifies that if the federal waiver is not approved by December 31, 2015, expanded medical assistance will no longer be provided and notice will be given to enrollees that the expanded program will be terminated on April 30, 2016 (Sec. 105).

• Requires a hospital that participates in the medical assistance program to accept 115 percent of Medicare rates as payment in full from an uninsured individual with an income level up to 133 percent of the federal poverty guidelines (Sec. 105).

• Requires the federal waiver to authorize a newly-eligible individual to choose between the following 2 options after receiving medical assistance for 48 cumulative months (Sec. 105):
• The option to purchase private insurance through a state-operated exchange; or
• The option to stay in the medical assistance program and increase his or her cost-sharing requirement from 5 to 7 percent of the individual’s annual income.

• Authorizes a reduction in an enrollee’s cost-sharing contributions if the individual meets specific goals for healthy behavior including, but not limited to, completing an annual health risk assessment to identify “unhealthy characteristics” such as alcohol and tobacco use, obesity, and immunization status (Sec. 105).

Full Bill Text