Payments to States
Payments
In general
Subject to the succeeding provisions of this section, the Secretary shall pay to each State with a plan approved under this subchapter, from its allotment under section 1397dd of this title, an amount for each quarter equal to the enhanced FMAP (or, in the case of expenditures described in subparagraph (D)(iv), the higher of 75 percent or the sum of the enhanced FMAP plus 5 percentage points) of expenditures in the quarter—
for child health assistance under the plan for targeted low-income children in the form of providing medical assistance for which payment is made on the basis of an enhanced FMAP under the fourth sentence of section 1396d(b) of this title;
[reserved]
for child health assistance under the plan for targeted low-income children in the form of providing health benefits coverage that meets the requirements of section 1397cc of this title; and
only to the extent permitted consistent with subsection (c)—
for payment for other child health assistance for targeted low-income children;
for expenditures for health services initiatives under the plan for improving the health of children (including targeted low-income children and other low-income children);
for expenditures for outreach activities as provided in section 1397bb(c)(1) of this title under the plan;
for translation or interpretation services in connection with the enrollment of, retention of, and use of services under this subchapter by, individuals for whom English is not their primary language (as found necessary by the Secretary for the proper and efficient administration of the State plan); and
for other reasonable costs incurred by the State to administer the plan.
Order of payments
Payments under paragraph (1) from a State’s allotment shall be made in the following order:
First, for expenditures for items described in paragraph (1)(A).
Second, for expenditures for items described in paragraph (1)(B).
Third, for expenditures for items described in paragraph (1)(C).
Fourth, for expenditures for items described in paragraph (1)(D).
Performance bonus payment to offset additional Medicaid and CHIP child enrollment costs resulting from enrollment and retention efforts
In general
Amount for above baseline Medicaid child enrollment costs
Subject to subparagraph (E), the amount described in this subparagraph for a State for a fiscal year is equal to the sum of the following amounts:
First tier above baseline Medicaid enrollees
Second tier above baseline Medicaid enrollees
Number of first and second tier above baseline child enrollees; baseline number of child enrollees
For purposes of this paragraph:
First tier above baseline child enrollees
The number of first tier above baseline child enrollees for a State for a fiscal year under subchapter XIX is equal to the number (if any, as determined by the Secretary) by which—
the monthly average unduplicated number of qualifying children (as defined in subparagraph (F)) enrolled during the fiscal year under the State plan under subchapter XIX; exceeds
the baseline number of enrollees described in clause (iii) for the State and fiscal year under subchapter XIX;
but not to exceed 10 percent of the baseline number of enrollees described in subclause (II).
Second tier above baseline child enrollees
The number of second tier above baseline child enrollees for a State for a fiscal year under subchapter XIX is equal to the number (if any, as determined by the Secretary) by which—
the monthly average unduplicated number of qualifying children (as defined in subparagraph (F)) enrolled during the fiscal year under subchapter XIX as described in clause (i)(I); exceeds
the sum of the baseline number of child enrollees described in clause (iii) for the State and fiscal year under subchapter XIX, as described in clause (i)(II), and the maximum number of first tier above baseline child enrollees for the State and fiscal year under subchapter XIX, as determined under clause (i).
Baseline number of child enrollees
Subject to subparagraph (H), the baseline number of child enrollees for a State under subchapter XIX—
for fiscal year 2009 is equal to the monthly average unduplicated number of qualifying children enrolled in the State plan under subchapter XIX during fiscal year 2007 increased by the population growth for children in that State from 2007 to 2008 (as estimated by the Bureau of the Census) plus 4 percentage points, and further increased by the population growth for children in that State from 2008 to 2009 (as estimated by the Bureau of the Census) plus 4 percentage points;
for each of fiscal years 2010, 2011, and 2012, is equal to the baseline number of child enrollees for the State for the previous fiscal year under subchapter XIX, increased by the population growth for children in that State from the calendar year in which the respective fiscal year begins to the succeeding calendar year (as estimated by the Bureau of the Census) plus 3.5 percentage points;
for each of fiscal years 2013, 2014, and 2015, is equal to the baseline number of child enrollees for the State for the previous fiscal year under subchapter XIX, increased by the population growth for children in that State from the calendar year in which the respective fiscal year begins to the succeeding calendar year (as estimated by the Bureau of the Census) plus 3 percentage points; and
for a subsequent fiscal year is equal to the baseline number of child enrollees for the State for the previous fiscal year under subchapter XIX, increased by the population growth for children in that State from the calendar year in which the fiscal year involved begins to the succeeding calendar year (as estimated by the Bureau of the Census) plus 2 percentage points.
Projected per capita State Medicaid expenditures
Amounts available for payments
Initial appropriation
Transfers
Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, the following amounts shall also be available, without fiscal year limitation, for making payments under this paragraph:
Unobligated national allotment
Fiscal years 2009 through 2012
First half of fiscal year 2013
Second half of fiscal year 2013
Unexpended allotments not used for redistribution
Excess child enrollment contingency funds
Proportional reduction
Qualifying children defined
In general
Limitation
Exclusion
Application to commonwealths and territories
Application to States that implement a Medicaid expansion for children after fiscal year 2008
In the case of a State that provides coverage under section 115 of the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 for any fiscal year after fiscal year 2008—
any child enrolled in the State plan under subchapter XIX through the application of such an election shall be disregarded from the determination for the State of the monthly average unduplicated number of qualifying children enrolled in such plan during the first 3 fiscal years in which such an election is in effect; and
in determining the baseline number of child enrollees for the State for any fiscal year subsequent to such first 3 fiscal years, the baseline number of child enrollees for the State under subchapter XIX for the third of such fiscal years shall be the monthly average unduplicated number of qualifying children enrolled in the State plan under subchapter XIX for such third fiscal year.
Enrollment and retention provisions for children
For purposes of paragraph (3)(A), a State meets the condition of this paragraph for a fiscal year if it is implementing at least 5 of the following enrollment and retention provisions (treating each subparagraph as a separate enrollment and retention provision) throughout the entire fiscal year:
Continuous eligibility
Liberalization of asset requirements
The State meets the requirement specified in either of the following clauses:
Elimination of asset test
Administrative verification of assets
The State—
permits a parent or caretaker relative who is applying on behalf of a child for medical assistance under subchapter XIX or child health assistance under this subchapter to declare and certify by signature under penalty of perjury information relating to family assets for purposes of determining and redetermining financial eligibility; and
takes steps to verify assets through means other than by requiring documentation from parents and applicants except in individual cases of discrepancies or where otherwise justified.
Elimination of in-person interview requirement
Use of joint application for Medicaid and CHIP
Automatic renewal (use of administrative renewal)
In general
Satisfaction through demonstrated use of ex parte process
Presumptive eligibility for children
Express Lane
Premium assistance subsidies
Enhanced FMAP
Limitation on certain payments for certain expenditures
General limitations
Limitation on expenditures not used for medicaid or health insurance assistance
In general
Waiver authorized for cost-effective alternative
The limitation under subparagraph (A) on expenditures for items described in subsection (a)(1)(D) shall not apply to the extent that a State establishes to the satisfaction of the Secretary that—
coverage provided to targeted low-income children through such expenditures meets the requirements of section 1397cc of this title;
the cost of such coverage is not greater, on an average per child basis, than the cost of coverage that would otherwise be provided under section 1397cc of this title; and
such coverage is provided through the use of a community-based health delivery system, such as through contracts with health centers receiving funds under section 254b of this title or with hospitals such as those that receive disproportionate share payment adjustments under section 1395ww(d)(5)(F) or 1396r–4 of this title.
Nonapplication to certain expenditures
The limitation under subparagraph (A) shall not apply with respect to the following expenditures:
Expenditures to increase outreach to, and the enrollment of, Indian children under this subchapter and subchapter XIX
Expenditures to comply with citizenship or nationality verification requirements
Expenditures for outreach to increase the enrollment of children under this subchapter and subchapter XIX through premium assistance subsidies
Payment error rate measurement (PERM) expenditures
Waiver for purchase of family coverage
Payment may be made to a State under subsection (a)(1) for the purchase of family coverage under a group health plan or health insurance coverage that includes coverage of targeted low-income children only if the State establishes to the satisfaction of the Secretary that—
purchase of such coverage is cost-effective relative to—
the amount of expenditures under the State child health plan, including administrative expenditures, that the State would have made to provide comparable coverage of the targeted low-income child involved or the family involved (as applicable); or
the aggregate amount of expenditures that the State would have made under the State child health plan, including administrative expenditures, for providing coverage under such plan for all such children or families; and
such coverage shall not be provided if it would otherwise substitute for health insurance coverage that would be provided to such children but for the purchase of family coverage.
Use of non-Federal funds for State matching requirement
Offset of receipts attributable to premiums and other cost-sharing
Prevention of duplicative payments
Other health plans
Other Federal governmental programs
Limitation on payment for abortions
In general
Exception
Rule of construction
Limitation on matching rate for expenditures for child health assistance provided to children whose effective family income exceeds 300 percent of the poverty line
FMAP applied to expenditures
Exception
Citizenship documentation requirements
In general
Enhanced payments
State option to offer premium assistance
In general
Qualified employer-sponsored coverage
In general
Subject to clause (ii), in this paragraph, the term “qualified employer-sponsored coverage” means a group health plan or health insurance coverage offered through an employer—
that qualifies as creditable coverage as a group health plan under section 2701(c)(1) of the Public Health Service Act; 4
for which the employer contribution toward any premium for such coverage is at least 40 percent; and
that is offered to all individuals in a manner that would be considered a nondiscriminatory eligibility classification for purposes of paragraph (3)(A)(ii) of section 105(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (but determined without regard to clause (i) of subparagraph (B) of such paragraph).
Exception
Such term does not include coverage consisting of—
benefits provided under a health flexible spending arrangement (as defined in section 106(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986); or
a high deductible health plan (as defined in section 223(c)(2) of such Code), without regard to whether the plan is purchased in conjunction with a health savings account (as defined under section 223(d) of such Code).
Premium assistance subsidy
In general
State payment option
Employer opt-out
Treatment as child health assistance
Application of secondary payor rules
Requirement to provide supplemental coverage for benefits and cost-sharing protection provided under the State child health plan
In general
Notwithstanding section 1397jj(b)(1)(C) of this title, the State shall provide for each targeted low-income child enrolled in qualified employer-sponsored coverage, supplemental coverage consisting of—
items or services that are not covered, or are only partially covered, under the qualified employer-sponsored coverage; and
cost-sharing protection consistent with section 1397cc(e) of this title.
Record keeping requirements
Application of waiting period imposed under the State
Opt-out permitted for any month
Application to parents
If a State provides child health assistance or health benefits coverage to parents of a targeted low-income child in accordance with section 1397kk(b) of this title, the State may elect to offer a premium assistance subsidy to a parent of a targeted low-income child who is eligible for such a subsidy under this paragraph in the same manner as the State offers such a subsidy for the enrollment of the child in qualified employer-sponsored coverage, except that—
the amount of the premium assistance subsidy shall be increased to take into account the cost of the enrollment of the parent in the qualified employer-sponsored coverage or, at the option of the State if the State determines it cost-effective, the cost of the enrollment of the child’s family in such coverage; and
any reference in this paragraph to a child is deemed to include a reference to the parent or, if applicable under clause (i), the family of the child.
Additional State option for providing premium assistance
In general
Access to choice of coverage
Clarification of payment for administrative expenditures
No effect on premium assistance waiver programs
Notice of availability
If a State elects to provide premium assistance subsidies in accordance with this paragraph, the State shall—
include on any application or enrollment form for child health assistance a notice of the availability of premium assistance subsidies for the enrollment of targeted low-income children in qualified employer-sponsored coverage;
provide, as part of the application and enrollment process under the State child health plan, information describing the availability of such subsidies and how to elect to obtain such a subsidy; and
establish such other procedures as the State determines necessary to ensure that parents are fully informed of the choices for receiving child health assistance under the State child health plan or through the receipt of premium assistance subsidies.
Application to qualified employer-sponsored benchmark coverage
Coordination with medicaid
Enhanced payments
Maintenance of effort
In medicaid eligibility standards
In amounts of payment expended for certain State-funded health insurance programs for children
In general
The amount of the allotment for a State in a fiscal year (beginning with fiscal year 1999) shall be reduced by the amount by which—
the total of the State children’s health insurance expenditures in the preceding fiscal year, is less than
the total of such expenditures in fiscal year 1996.
State children’s health insurance expenditures
The term “State children’s health insurance expenditures” means the following:
The State share of expenditures under this subchapter.
The State share of expenditures under subchapter XIX that are attributable to an enhanced FMAP under the fourth sentence of section 1396d(b) of this title.
State expenditures under health benefits coverage under an existing comprehensive State-based program, described in section 1397cc(d) of this title.
Continuation of eligibility standards for children until October 1, 2019
In general
During the period that begins on
applying eligibility standards, methodologies, or procedures for children under the State child health plan or under any waiver of the plan that are less restrictive than the eligibility standards, methodologies, or procedures, respectively, for children under the plan or waiver that are in effect on
after
imposing a limitation described in section 1397ll(b)(7) of this title for a fiscal year in order to limit expenditures under the State child health plan to those for which Federal financial participation is available under this section for the fiscal year.
Assurance of exchange coverage for targeted low-income children unable to be provided child health assistance as a result of funding shortfalls
Certification of comparability of pediatric coverage offered by qualified health plans
Advance payment; retrospective adjustment
Flexibility in submittal of claims
Authority for qualifying States to use certain funds for medicaid expenditures
State option
In general
Payments to States
In general
Expenditures described
No impact on determination of budget neutrality for waivers
Qualifying State
Construction
Option for allotments for fiscal years 2009 through 2017
Payment of enhanced portion of matching rate for certain expenditures
Expenditures described
Source
(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title XXI, § 2105, as added Pub. L. 105–33, title IV, § 4901(a),Notes
References in Text
Amendments
Effective Date of 2010 Amendment
Effective Date of 2009 Amendment
Termination Date of 2007 Amendment
Effective Date of 2006 Amendment
Effective Date of 2003 Amendment
Effective Date of 2000 Amendment
Effective Date of 1997 Amendment
Construction of 2009 Amendment
changing any income eligibility level for children under title XXI of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1397aa et seq.]; or
changing the flexibility provided States under such title to establish the income eligibility level for targeted low-income children under a State child health plan and the methodologies used by the State to determine income or assets under such plan.”
Payment Error Rate Measurement Requirements
Final Rule Required To Be in Effect for All States.—
Notwithstanding parts 431 and 457 of title 42, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act [
Requirements for New Final Rule.—
For purposes of subsection (b), the requirements of this subsection are that the new final rule implementing the PERM requirements shall—
include—
clearly defined criteria for errors for both States and providers;
a clearly defined process for appealing error determinations by—
review contractors; or
the agency and personnel described in section 431.974(a)(2) of title 42, Code of Federal Regulations, as in effect on
clearly defined responsibilities and deadlines for States in implementing any corrective action plans; and
provide that the payment error rate determined for a State shall not take into account payment errors resulting from the State’s verification of an applicant’s self-declaration or self-certification of eligibility for, and the correct amount of, medical assistance or child health assistance, if the State process for verifying an applicant’s self-declaration or self-certification satisfies the requirements for such process applicable under regulations promulgated by the Secretary or otherwise approved by the Secretary.
Option for Application of Data for States in First Application Cycle Under the Interim Final Rule.—
After the new final rule implementing the PERM requirements in accordance with the requirements of subsection (c) is in effect for all States, a State for which the PERM requirements were first in effect under an interim final rule for fiscal year 2007 or under a final rule for fiscal year 2008 may elect to accept any payment error rate determined in whole or in part for the State on the basis of data for that fiscal year or may elect to not have any payment error rate determined on the basis of such data and, instead, shall be treated as if fiscal year 2010 or fiscal year 2011 were the first fiscal year for which the PERM requirements apply to the State.
Harmonization of MEQC and PERM.—
Reduction of redundancies.—
The Secretary shall review the Medicaid Eligibility Quality Control (in this subsection referred to as the ‘MEQC’) requirements with the PERM requirements and coordinate consistent implementation of both sets of requirements, while reducing redundancies.
State option to apply perm data.—
A State may elect, for purposes of determining the erroneous excess payments for medical assistance ratio applicable to the State for a fiscal year under section 1903(u) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396b(u)) to substitute data resulting from the application of the PERM requirements to the State after the new final rule implementing such requirements is in effect for all States for data obtained from the application of the MEQC requirements to the State with respect to a fiscal year.
State option to apply meqc data.—
For purposes of satisfying the requirements of subpart Q of part 431 of title 42, Code of Federal Regulations, relating to Medicaid eligibility reviews, a State may elect to substitute data obtained through MEQC reviews conducted in accordance with section 1903(u) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396b(u)) for data required for purposes of PERM requirements, but only if the State MEQC reviews are based on a broad, representative sample of Medicaid applicants or enrollees in the States.
Identification of Improved State-Specific Sample Sizes.—
The Secretary shall establish State-specific sample sizes for application of the PERM requirements with respect to State child health plans for fiscal years beginning with the first fiscal year that begins on or after the date on which the new final rule is in effect for all States, on the basis of such information as the Secretary determines appropriate. In establishing such sample sizes, the Secretary shall, to the greatest extent practicable—
minimize the administrative cost burden on States under Medicaid and CHIP; and
maintain State flexibility to manage such programs.
Time for Promulgation of Final Rule.—
The final rule implementing the PERM requirements under subsection (b) shall be promulgated not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of this Act [