1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to health; expanding the eligibility for 
  1.3             single adults and households with no children for the 
  1.4             MinnesotaCare program; creating an exemption in the 
  1.5             health coverage requirement of the MinnesotaCare 
  1.6             program; appropriating money for the senior citizen 
  1.7             drug program; amending Minnesota Statutes 1998, 
  1.8             sections 256L.04, subdivision 7; and 256L.07, 
  1.9             subdivisions 1 and 3. 
  1.10  BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.11     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 256L.04, 
  1.12  subdivision 7, is amended to read: 
  1.13     Subd. 7.  [SINGLE ADULTS AND HOUSEHOLDS WITH NO CHILDREN.] 
  1.14  The definition of eligible persons includes all individuals and 
  1.15  households with no children who have gross family incomes that 
  1.16  are equal to or less than ~~175~~ 275 percent of the federal poverty 
  1.17  guidelines. 
  1.18     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 256L.07, 
  1.19  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  1.20     Subdivision 1.  [GENERAL REQUIREMENTS.] (a) Children 
  1.21  enrolled in the original children's health plan as of September 
  1.22  30, 1992, children who enrolled in the MinnesotaCare program 
  1.23  after September 30, 1992, pursuant to Laws 1992, chapter 549, 
  1.24  article 4, section 17, and children who have family gross 
  1.25  incomes that are equal to or less than 150 percent of the 
  1.26  federal poverty guidelines are eligible for subsidized premium 
  1.27  payments without meeting the requirements of subdivision 2, as 
  2.1   long as they maintain continuous coverage in the MinnesotaCare 
  2.2   program or medical assistance.  Children who apply for 
  2.3   MinnesotaCare on or after the implementation date of the 
  2.4   employer-subsidized health coverage program as described in Laws 
  2.5   1998, chapter 407, article 5, section 45, who have family gross 
  2.6   incomes that are equal to or less than 150 percent of the 
  2.7   federal poverty guidelines, must meet the requirements of 
  2.8   subdivision 2 to be eligible for MinnesotaCare. 
  2.9      (b) Families and individuals enrolled in MinnesotaCare 
  2.10  under section 256L.04, subdivision 1 or 7, whose income 
  2.11  increases above 275 percent of the federal poverty guidelines, 
  2.12  are no longer eligible for the program and shall be disenrolled 
  2.13  by the commissioner.  ~~Individuals enrolled in MinnesotaCare~~ 
  2.14  ~~under section 256L.04, subdivision 7, whose income increases~~ 
  2.15  ~~above 175 percent of the federal poverty guidelines are no~~ 
  2.16  ~~longer eligible for the program and shall be disenrolled by the~~ 
  2.17  ~~commissioner.~~  For persons disenrolled under this subdivision, 
  2.18  MinnesotaCare coverage terminates the last day of the calendar 
  2.19  month following the month in which the commissioner determines 
  2.20  that the income of a family or individual, determined over a 
  2.21  four-month period as required by section 256L.15, subdivision 2, 
  2.22  exceeds program income limits.  
  2.23     (c) Notwithstanding paragraph (b), individuals and families 
  2.24  may remain enrolled in MinnesotaCare if ten percent of their 
  2.25  annual income is less than the annual premium for a policy with 
  2.26  a $500 deductible available through the Minnesota comprehensive 
  2.27  health association.  Individuals and families who are no longer 
  2.28  eligible for MinnesotaCare under this subdivision shall be given 
  2.29  an 18-month notice period from the date that ineligibility is 
  2.30  determined before disenrollment. 
  2.31     Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1998, section 256L.07, 
  2.32  subdivision 3, is amended to read: 
  2.33     Subd. 3.  [OTHER HEALTH COVERAGE.] (a) Families and 
  2.34  individuals enrolled in the MinnesotaCare program must have no 
  2.35  health coverage while enrolled or for at least four months prior 
  2.36  to application and renewal.  This requirement does not apply to 
  3.1   children in families who have purchased other health coverage 
  3.2   and the annual premium or the annual cost of the share of the 
  3.3   premium paid by the family is greater than eight percent of the 
  3.4   family's annual income.  Children enrolled in the original 
  3.5   children's health plan and children in families with income 
  3.6   equal to or less than 150 percent of the federal poverty 
  3.7   guidelines, who have other health insurance, are eligible if the 
  3.8   other health coverage meets the requirements of Minnesota Rules, 
  3.9   part 9506.0020, subpart 3, item B.  The commissioner may change 
  3.10  this eligibility criterion for sliding scale premiums in order 
  3.11  to remain within the limits of available appropriations.  The 
  3.12  requirement of no health coverage does not apply to newborns. 
  3.13     (b) For purposes of this section, medical assistance, 
  3.14  general assistance medical care, and civilian health and medical 
  3.15  program of the uniformed service, CHAMPUS, are not considered 
  3.16  insurance or health coverage. 
  3.17     (c) For purposes of this section, Medicare Part A or B 
  3.18  coverage under title XVIII of the Social Security Act, United 
  3.19  States Code, title 42, sections 1395c to 1395w-4, is considered 
  3.20  health coverage.  An applicant or enrollee may not refuse 
  3.21  Medicare coverage to establish eligibility for MinnesotaCare. 
  3.22     Sec. 4.  [APPROPRIATIONS.] 
  3.23     $15,000,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2000 and 
  3.24  $23,000,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2001 from the general 
  3.25  fund to the commissioner of human services for the senior 
  3.26  citizen drug program established under Minnesota Statutes, 
  3.27  section 256.955.