SB2954

Report Title:

Med QUEST insurance; immigrants

 

Description:

Provides Med QUEST medical insurance for income-qualified immigrants.

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	2954
TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2002
STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to med quest Insurance.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that with the enactment of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Responsibility Act of 1996 Congress stripped away medical assistance and other benefits from income qualified immigrants. A citizen’s right to access these benefits was, however, untouched. Hawaii rectified this situation, in part, by restoring eligibility for Med QUEST coverage for income-qualified immigrant children under the age of nineteen.

The legislature further finds that it is prudent to also cover other qualified immigrants who arrived in the United States after August 22, 1996, persons from member countries to the Compact of Free Association, and other individuals permanently residing in the United States under color of law. Timely access to health care ensures not only the health of the individual, but also reduces exposure to communicable diseases for the public at large. Since emergency Medicaid coverage is available for income qualified immigrants with a bona-fide emergency, regardless of the date of arrival in the United States, it is cost-effective to provide QUEST coverage for immigrants in need of care before the illness or disease escalates to a bona-fide emergency.

SECTION 2. Section 346-59.4, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

"[[]§346-59.4[]] Medical assistance to other children. The department shall provide state-funded medical assistance, of up to two hundred per cent of the federal poverty level for Hawaii, to [persons less than nineteen years of age who are]:

(1) Legal permanent residents who arrived after August 22, 1996;

(2) Persons who are permanently residing under color of law; and

(3) Nonimmigrants from the Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands who are citizens of:

(A) The Marshall Islands;

(B) The Federated States of Micronesia; or

(C) Palau, as defined by the Compact of Free Association Act of 1985, P.L. 99-239, or the Compact of Free Association between the United States and the Government of Palau, P.L. 99-658,

who are otherwise eligible for benefits under the State's medicaid programs, including QUEST and the State's children health insurance program, but are ineligible due to restricted eligibility rules imposed by Title XXI of the Social Security Act, the Personal Responsibility and Work Reconciliation Act of 1996, the Compact of Free Association Act of 1985, P.L. 99-239, the Compact of Free Association between the United States and the Government of Palau, P.L. 99-658, or any other provision of federal law denying medical assistance to nonimmigrants who are citizens of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or Palau."

SECTION 3. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ , or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2002-2003, to provide state-funded medical assistance for:

(1) Legal permanent residents who arrived after August 22, 1996;

(2) Persons who are permanently residing under color of law; and

(3) Persons from member countries of the Compact of Free Association including Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Marshall Islands, who are otherwise eligible for benefits under the State's Medicaid programs, QUEST, and the State children's health insurance program, but are ineligible due to restricted eligibility rules imposed by Title XXI of the Social Security Act in the federal Balanced Budget Act of 1997 or the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996.

The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department of human services for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval, provided that Section 3 shall take effect on July 1, 2002.

INTRODUCED BY:	_____________________________