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| SPONSOR: | Aragon | DATE TYPED: | 2-21-01 | HB | |||
| SHORT TITLE: | Medicaid Coverage for Released Inmates | SB | SJM 28 | ||||
| ANALYST: | Taylor | ||||||
| Recurring
or Non-Rec |
Fund
Affected | ||||
| FY01 | FY02 | FY01 | FY02 | ||
| NFI | |||||
Relates to None
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Human Services Department (HSD)
Health Policy Commission (HPC)
SUMMARY
Synopsis of Bill
SJM 28 requests the Human Services Department to apply for a medicaid waiver from the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) to enable New Mexicans who leave correctional institutions and who were enrolled in Medicaid prior to institutionalization to enjoy presumptive eligibility and immediate access to medicaid benefits. The memorial further resolves that the requested waiver enable other New Mexicans leaving institutions to be eligible for Medicaid, and that the waiver include all options that will maximize potential Medicaid benefits to all New Mexicans. Finally, it resolves that a copy of the memorial be provided to the Governor and the Secretary of the Human Services Department.
The joint memorial notes that many persons released from state institutions have a continuing need for health care after being returned to the community; that the current medicaid program only covers adults with disabilities and income below 37 percent of the federal poverty level and persons with dependents receiving federal supplemental income; that qualifying for supplemental security income has become increasingly difficult; that persons receiving Medicaid lose eligibility upon entering a state institution, but are not automatically enrolled upon release from the institution; and that many of these persons released from institutions need medication and continued treatment upon release but do not have access to it.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
HSD reports that if they were obtain such a waiver funding would be necessary. However, their bill analysis does not provide an estimate as to what it might cost to cover this population in Medicaid. This FIR reports no fiscal impact because the resolution requests the department to request a waiver, but the department would not be obligated to do so.
SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES
The Health Policy Commission notes that the memorial does not define state institution.
BT/njw