LRB-3673/1
TJD:ktf:jm
2011 - 2012 LEGISLATURE
January 11, 2012 - Introduced by Representatives Mason, Grigsby, Ringhand, C.
Taylor, Molepske Jr, Berceau, Bernard Schaber, Pocan, Bewley, Toles and
Turner, cosponsored by Senators Vinehout, Taylor, Hansen, Lassa, C.
Larson, S. Coggs and
Wirch. Referred to Committee on Insurance.
AB474,1,3
1An Act to amend 49.45 (2m) (e) 2. of the statutes;
relating to: changing the
2deadline for approval of a certain federal law waiver request affecting the
3Medical Assistance program.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
Under current law, the Department of Health Services (DHS) administers the
Medical Assistance (MA) program, which is a joint federal and state program that
pays for health services and long-term care to individuals who have limited
resources. In some instances, the current MA program allows individuals who have
income levels over 133 percent of the federal poverty line to receive benefits under
the program. Current law requires DHS to request a waiver from the federal
government to allow the department to implement eligibility standards,
methodologies, and procedures under the state MA plan or federal Medicaid law
waivers that are more restrictive than those in place on March 23, 2010. If the federal
government does not approve the waiver request before December 31, 2011, DHS
must reduce, on July 1, 2012, following the procedures under federal law, income
eligibility levels to 133 percent of the federal poverty line for adults who are not
pregnant or disabled for the purposes of determining eligibility to the extent
permitted under federal law. The bill changes the deadline for federal government
approval of the waiver request to March 1, 2012.
For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as
an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB474,2,123
49.45
(2m) (e) 2. The department shall request a waiver from the secretary of
4the federal department of health and human services to permit the department to
5have in effect eligibility standards, methodologies, and procedures under the state
6Medical Assistance plan or waivers of federal laws related to medical assistance that
7are more restrictive than those in place on March 23, 2010. If the waiver request does
8not receive federal approval before
December 31, 2011
March 1, 2012, the
9department shall reduce income levels on July 1, 2012, for the purposes of
10determining eligibility to 133 percent of the federal poverty line for adults who are
11not pregnant and not disabled, to the extent permitted under
42 USC 1396a (gg), if
12the department follows the procedures under
42 USC 1396a (gg) (3).
