Bill Text: GA HB955 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Social services; Department of Community Health; provide health care benefits; authorize

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-01-27 - House Second Readers [HB955 Detail]

Download: Georgia-2009-HB955-Introduced.html

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10 LC 37 0989

House Bill 955

By: Representatives Marin of the 96th and Gardner of the 57th

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT

To amend Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to social services, so as to authorize the Department of Community Health to seek federal funds to provide medical assistance and health care benefits to qualified alien children and pregnant women under Medicaid and the PeachCare for Kids Program; to provide for eligibility for qualified aliens under Medicaid and PeachCare; 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.

Title 49 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to social services, is amended by adding a new Code section to read as follows:

"49-4-158.

(a) As used in this Code section, the term 'qualified alien' means a qualified alien as defined in 8 U.S.C.A. 1641 admitted into the United States prior to August 22, 1996. Qualified aliens shall be eligible for medical assistance provided other conditions of eligibility are met. Qualified aliens admitted into the United States on or after August 22,1996, shall be eligible for medical assistance beginning five years after the date admitted; provided, however, if the individual is otherwise qualified for the purposes of state receipt of federal financial participation under 8 U.S.C.A. Section 1641, such individual shall be eligible for medical assistance regardless of the date admitted.

(b) Not later than January 1, 2011, the commissioner shall seek federal funds to provide medical assistance to qualified alien children and pregnant women whose date of admission into the United States is less than five years before the date services are provided."

SECTION 2.

Said title is further amended in Code Section 49-5-273, relating to the creation of the PeachCare for Kids Program, by adding a new subsection to read as follows:

"(p) As used in this subsection, the term 'qualified alien' means a qualified alien as defined in 8 U.S.C.A. 1641 admitted into the United States prior to August 22, 1996. Qualified aliens shall be eligible for health care benefits provided other conditions of eligibility are met. Qualified aliens admitted into the United States on or after August 22, 1996, shall be eligible for health care benefits beginning five years after the date admitted; provided, however, if the individual is otherwise qualified for the purposes of state receipt of federal financial participation under 8 U.S.C.A. 1641, such individual shall be eligible for health care benefits regardless of the date admitted. Not later than January 1, 2011, the commissioner shall seek federal funds to provide health care benefits to qualified alien children and pregnant women whose date of admission into the United States is less than five years before the date services are provided."

SECTION 3.

This Act shall become effective on July 1, 2010.

SECTION 4.

All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.