SB182 By Senators Beasley, Singleton, Figures, Coleman-Madison, Smitherman, Ross, Dunn and Sanders RFD Finance and Taxation General Fund Rd 1 09-FEB-16

SYNOPSIS: This bill would expand the Medicaid program to provide assistance to all persons for whom federal matching funds are available to the state under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT

Relating to Medicaid; to expand the program to provide assistance to certain persons; to direct the Alabama Medicaid Agency to implement the expansion; to direct other state agencies and entities to provide certain assistance; and to provide for appropriations for adequate funding.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:

Section 1. The Legislature finds all of the following:

(1) The residents of this state are suffering because of their lack of access to health care.

(2) Broad access to health care leads to preventive care, which produces healthier families, a healthier workforce, and an all around healthier state.

(3) The federal government started paying 100 percent of the Medicaid expansion in 2014 under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The federal government's share will drop to 95 percent in 2017, and ultimately to 90 percent in 2020.

(4) With the expansion of Medicaid, hundreds of thousands of Alabamians will have access to critical preventive care versus acute care for the first time in their lives.

(5) Expansion of Medicaid will result in reduced state spending on health care related services to those previously uninsured residents with incomes below 138 percent of the federal poverty limit.

(6) In addition to enhancing access to health care, expansion of Medicaid would promote revenue and economic activity in this state, resulting in the preservation and creation of jobs.

(7) The Alabama Health Care Improvement Task Force, created on April 6, 2015 by Executive Order No. 4, unanimously recommended to the Governor to close Alabama's health coverage gap, which the expansion of Medicaid would achieve.

Section 2. (a) The Medicaid program shall provide assistance to all persons who apply and who are determined to be eligible for assistance and for whom federal matching funds are available to the state under the "Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act," Public Law 111-148, March 23, 2010, as amended by the "Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010," Public Law 111-152, March 30, 2010.

(b) The Alabama Medicaid Agency is hereby directed to take any and all steps necessary to implement the Medicaid expansion program as provided for in subsection (a) and shall be the lead agency for the implementation. The Alabama Medicaid Agency is authorized to seek assistance from any state or federal agencies or entities to implement the program, and all state agencies or entities shall provide assistance as requested by the agency.

(c) The Legislature shall annually appropriate adequate funding to the Alabama Medicaid Agency for the purpose of implementing and operating the Medicaid expansion program pursuant to this act.

Section 3. This act shall become effective on the first day of the third month following its passage and approval by the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.

Health

Medicaid

Medicaid Agency

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Health Reform

Legislature

Appropriations