07
House
Bill 340 (COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE) (AM)
By:
Representatives Richardson of the
19th,
Golick of the
34th,
Ehrhart of the
36th,
Keen of the
179th,
and Burkhalter of the
50th
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Code Section 49-5-273 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating
to the creation and operation of the PeachCare for Kids Program, so as to revise
income eligibility requirements; to provide for continued eligibility of certain
existing program participants; to provide that health care services under the
PeachCare for Kids Program are substantially the same as under the state
employees´ health insurance plan; to provide for optional dental and vision
coverage; to require the Department of Community Health to contract for
eligibility verification of all participants; to provide for related matters;
to provide for an effective date; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Code
Section 49-5-273 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to the
creation and operation of the PeachCare for Kids Program, is amended by revising
subsections (a), (c), and (l) as follows:
"(a)(1)
There is created the PeachCare for Kids Program to provide health care benefits
for children in families with income below
235
200
percent of the federal poverty level.
On and after
June 1, 2007, children
Children
from birth through 18 years of age in families with family incomes below
235
200
percent of the federal poverty
level, unless
such threshold is revised in accordance with this
paragraph, and who are not eligible for
medical assistance under Medicaid shall be eligible for the program, to be
administered by the department pursuant to federal law and subject to
availability of funding.
The board
shall be authorized, in its sole discretion, to revise the threshold amount of
200 percent of the federal poverty level provided for in this paragraph to an
amount between and including 185 to 225 percent.
(2)
Children in families with income between 200 and 235 percent of the federal
poverty level who were enrolled in the program on May 31, 2007, shall remain
enrolled in the program so long as eligibility requirements continue to be met,
including evidence of United States citizenship and a family income that does
not increase to an amount exceeding 235 percent of the federal poverty
level."
"(c)
The program shall offer substantially the same health care services available to
dependent
children under
the state
employees´ health insurance plan established pursuant to Article 1 of
Chapter 18 of Title 45.
Georgia´s
Medicaid plan, but coverage
Coverage
for such
services
under the
program shall not be provided by an
expansion of eligibility for medical assistance under Medicaid. However, the
program shall exclude nonemergency transportation and targeted case management
services. The department shall utilize appropriate medical management and
utilization control procedures necessary to manage care effectively and shall
prospectively limit enrollment in the program and modify the health care
services benefits when the department has reason to believe the cost of such
enrollment or services may exceed the availability of funding.
The department
shall offer optional dental and vision coverage to program participants for an
additional premium over and above the premiums established pursuant to
subsection (e) of this Code
section."
"(l)
The department, through the Department of Administrative Services or any other
appropriate entity, may contract for any or all of the following: the collection
of premiums, processing of applications,
verification
of eligibility, outreach, data services,
and evaluation, if such contracting achieves administrative or service cost
efficiency.
The department
shall enter into one or more contracts with an appropriate entity or entities
for the verification of eligibility of all participants in the program with
regard to verification of income and United States
citizenship. The department, and other
state agencies as appropriate, shall provide necessary information to any entity
which has contracted with the department for services related to the
administration of the program upon request. For purposes of compliance with
Code Section 34-8-125, a request by any entity which has contracted with the
department for services related to the administration of the program shall be
deemed to be a request by a responsible official of the department and
considered to be a request by the department."
SECTION
2.
This
Act shall become effective on June 1, 2007.
SECTION
3.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.