MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2000 Regular Session

To: Public Health and Welfare; Appropriations

By: Representatives Holland, Espy, Flaggs

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 41-86-15, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REVISE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA UNDER THE CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM (CHIP) TO PROVIDE THAT A PERSON WHO IS WITHOUT INSURANCE COVERAGE AT THE TIME OF APPLICATION FOR THE PROGRAM AND WHO MEETS THE OTHER ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA WILL BE ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE COVERED BENEFITS UNDER THE PROGRAM, SUBJECT TO FEDERAL APPROVAL; TO PROVIDE THAT IF FEDERAL APPROVAL IS NOT OBTAINED FOR THE PRECEDING PROVISION, THE DIVISION OF MEDICAID SHALL SEEK FEDERAL APPROVAL TO ALLOW ELIGIBILITY AFTER THE SHORTEST WAITING PERIOD OF BEING WITHOUT INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR WHICH APPROVAL CAN BE OBTAINED; TO PROVIDE THAT IF THE CHIP PLAN INCLUDES ANY WAITING PERIOD OF BEING WITHOUT INSURANCE COVERAGE BEFORE ELIGIBILITY, THE STATE AND SCHOOL EMPLOYEES HEALTH INSURANCE MANAGEMENT BOARD SHALL ADOPT REGULATIONS TO PROVIDE EXCEPTIONS TO THE WAITING PERIOD FOR FAMILIES WHO HAVE LOST INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR GOOD CAUSE OR THROUGH NO FAULT OF THEIR OWN; TO AMEND SECTION 41-86-19, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE CHIP ADVISORY BOARD TO CONDUCT A COMMUNITY-BASED OUTREACH AND EDUCATION CAMPAIGN TO PROVIDE INFORMATION RELATING TO THE AVAILABILITY OF HEALTH BENEFITS FOR CHILDREN THROUGH MEDICAID AND THE CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM; TO AUTHORIZE THE CHIP ADVISORY BOARD TO CONTRACT WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS OR COALITIONS OF COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO IMPLEMENT THE CAMPAIGN, AND REQUIRE THIS ADVISORY BOARD TO PROMOTE AND ENCOURAGE VOLUNTARY EFFORTS TO IMPLEMENT THE CAMPAIGN; TO PROVIDE THAT FUNDING FOR THE CAMPAIGN AND FOR ANY CONTRACTS EXECUTED BY THE CHIP ADVISORY BOARD TO IMPLEMENT THE CAMPAIGN SHALL BE PROVIDED BY THE DIVISION OF MEDICAID; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 41-86-15, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

41-86-15. (1) Persons eligible to receive covered benefits under Sections 41-86-5 through 41-86-17 shall be low-income children who meet the eligibility standards set forth in the plan. Any person who is eligible for benefits under the Mississippi Medicaid Law, Section 43-13-101 et seq., shall not be eligible to receive benefits under Sections 41-86-5 through 41-86-17. A person who is without insurance coverage at the time of application for the program and who meets the other eligibility criteria in the plan shall be eligible to receive covered benefits under the program, if federal approval is obtained to allow eligibility with no waiting period of being without insurance coverage. If federal approval is not obtained for the preceding provision, the Division of Medicaid shall seek federal approval to allow eligibility after the shortest waiting period of being without insurance coverage for which approval can be obtained. After federal approval is obtained to allow eligibility after a certain waiting period of being without insurance coverage, a person who has been without insurance coverage for the approved waiting period and who meets the other eligibility criteria in the plan shall be eligible to receive covered benefits under the program. If the plan includes any waiting period of being without insurance coverage before eligibility, the State and School Employees Health Insurance Management Board shall adopt regulations to provide exceptions to the waiting period for families who have lost insurance coverage for good cause or through no fault of their own.

(2) The eligibility of children for covered benefits under the program shall be determined annually by the same agency or entity that determines eligibility under Section 43-13-115(9) and shall cover twelve (12) continuous months under the program.

SECTION 2. Section 41-86-19, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

41-86-19. (1) The Division of Medicaid shall develop a Children's Health Insurance Program enrollment outreach initiative in cooperation with the State Department of Education's federal free and reduced lunch program, the State Department of Health, the Department of Human Services, the Department of Finance and Administration, community health centers, the Mississippi State Medical Association, the Mississippi State Hospital Association, other health provider associations and community action agencies/Headstart centers. The enrollment outreach initiative shall be the responsibility of the CHIP Information Coordinator within the Division of Medicaid. The Division of Medicaid is authorized to maintain a statewide in-coming wide area telephone service for the purpose of providing information for and encouraging Children's Health Insurance Program enrollment.

(2) (a) The CHIP Advisory Board established under Section 41-86-21(1) shall conduct a community-based outreach and education campaign to provide information relating to the availability of health benefits for children through Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program. The CHIP Advisory Board shall conduct the campaign in a manner that promotes enrollment in all state child health programs and supports existing outreach and enrollment initiatives, including the initiative mandated under subsection (1) of this section.

(b) The CHIP Advisory Board may contract with community-based organizations or coalitions of community-based organizations to implement the community-based outreach and education campaign, and shall promote and encourage voluntary efforts to implement the campaign. The CHIP Advisory Board shall procure any contracts through a process designed by the advisory board to encourage broad participation of organizations, including those organizations that target population groups with high levels of uninsured children.

(c) Funding for the community-based outreach and education campaign and for any contracts executed by the CHIP Advisory Board to implement the campaign shall be provided by the Division of Medicaid.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.