HCASB194 4921 5787 HOUSE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS Regular Session ENROLLEDAmendments SENATEproposed BILLby NO.House Committee on Health and Welfare to Engrossed Senate Bill No.

194 BYby SENATORSSenator MIGUEZMiguez ANDAMENDMENT HODGESNO. AN ACT To amend and reenact R.S.

46:233.4,1 relativeOn topage public1, assistance;line 11, after "law" and before "has" delete "or" and insert a comma "," AMENDMENT NO.

to2 provideOn forpage referral1, at the end of applicantsline for12, assistanceinsert whoa arecomma not"," validand citizens"or orreceivescoveragepursuant immigrants;to 43 U.S.C.

to1396b(v)(4)." requirePage notification1 toof federal1 authorities;CODING:

andWordsinstruckthroughtypearedeletionsfromexistinglaw;wordsunderscored toare provideadditions. for related matters.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:

Section 1.

R.S.

46:233.4 is hereby amended and reenacted to read as follows:

§233.4.

Verification of citizenship of applicants for public benefits A.Exceptasprohibitedbyfederallaw,astateagencyorpoliticalsubdivision shall verifythat each applicant who applies for federal, state, or local public benefit is a person who has been recognized as a citizen of the United States by birthright, naturalization,oranyothermethodprovidedforunderapplicablefederallawor,has satisfactoryimmigrationstatusasaqualifiedalienasdefinedin8U.S.C.1641(b),or receives coverage pursuant to 42 U.S.C.

1396b(v)(4).

B.

ForthepurposesofMedicaid,Medicare,theSupplementalNutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and any health plan offered through the AffordableCareActmarketplace,theterm"qualifiedalien"shallbelimitedto:

(1)Analienlawfullyadmittedforpermanentresidenceasanimmigrant, as defined in 8 U.S.C.

1101(a)(15) and 1101(a)(20), excluding alien visitors, tourists, diplomats, students, and other individuals admitted temporarily without intent to abandon a foreign residence.

(2) An alien granted the status of Cuban or Haitian entrant, as defined in Section 501(e) of the Refugee Education Assistance Act of 1980 (Pub.

L.

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Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;

words in boldface type and underscored are additions.

SB NO.

194 ENROLLED 96-422).

(3) An individual lawfully residing in the United States pursuant to a Compact of Free Association, as referenced in 8 U.S.C.

1612(b)(2)(G).

B.C.

For an applicant claiming United States citizenship or satisfactory immigration status under 8 U.S.C.

1641(b), the state agencyor political subdivision shall make every reasonable effort to ascertain verification of the applicant's citizenship or immigration status.

D.(1) For any applicant seeking enrollment in Medicaid, the Louisiana DepartmentofHealthshallprovideasinglereasonableopportunityperiod,not to exceed the minimum period required under federal law, for verification of UnitedStatescitizenshiporsatisfactoryimmigrationstatusasaqualifiedalien, as defined in Subsection B of this Section, when such status cannot be verified through available data sources.

(2) Medicaid coverage may be provided provisionally during the reasonable opportunity period where required by federal law.

(3) Failure to submit acceptable documentation within the reasonable opportunity period required under federal law shall result in denial or termination of Medicaid eligibility, subject to required notice.

(4)Noadditional reasonableopportunity period shall be grantedtoany applicantwhohaspreviouslybeendeniedeligibilityatanytimeduetoafailure to verify citizenship or satisfactory immigration status.

(5)Thedepartmentshallseekanystateplanamendmentorwaiverfrom the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services necessary to carry out the provisions of this Section.

(6) The department has the discretion to provide emergency healthcare services.

C.E.

Upon the termination of any reasonable opportunity period to verify citizenship status or receipt of a final verification that indicates that the applicant is not a United States citizen or lacks satisfactory immigration status and has entered theUnitedStateswithoutinspectionoradmissionorremainedbeyondtheexpiration Page 2 of 4 Coding:

Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;

words in boldface type and underscored are additions.

SB NO.