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F I S C A L   I M P A C T   R E P O R T

 

 

 

SPONSOR:

Aragon

 

DATE TYPED:

02/11/03

 

HB

 

 

SHORT TITLE:

Medicaid Waiver to Expand Eligibility

 

SB

SJM 0019

 

 

ANALYST:

Weber

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY03

FY04

FY03

FY04

 

 

 

$0.0

 

See narrative

 

 

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

 

Duplicates SJM 19

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

 

Responses Received From

Human Services Department

 

SUMMARY

 

     Synopsis of Bill

 

Senate Joint Memorial 19 requests that the Human Services Department (HSD) apply for a Medicaid Waiver from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medical Services (CMS) to enable New Mexico citizens meeting Medicaid eligibility who leave institutions and who were enrolled in Medicaid prior to institutionalization to enjoy presumptive eligibility and immediate access to Medicaid benefits upon completion of the enrollment process.  Further, the Waiver would enable other New Mexico citizens leaving institutions to be eligible for Medicaid upon completion of the enrollment process.  The Waiver would include all options that will maximize the potential Medicaid benefits to all New Mexicans.

 

     Significant Issues

 

Medicaid eligibility is based upon one’s current circumstances.  The receipt of Medicaid prior to institutionalization does not assure all eligibility factors will be met upon deinstitutionalization.  If a woman were receiving Medicaid based upon the fact that she was living with her eligible children, she would again need to reside with the children upon deinstitutionalization.  Current federal regulations allow only children and pregnant women to receive presumptive eligibility.

Any New Mexico citizen leaving an institution is potentially eligible for Medicaid upon the completion of the enrollment process if they otherwise meet all eligibility conditions.

 

Individuals receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in New Mexico are eligible for Medicaid.  If their Medicaid is dependent upon receipt of SSI, eligibility for this must be first established.

 

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

 

Senate Joint Memorial 19 contains no appropriation.  There would, however, be a cost, based upon the number of individuals enrolled in the program.  A determination of the number of individuals deinstitutionalized each year who were on Medicaid immediately prior to their institutionalization would be necessary but is not now currently available.

 

OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES

 

It is unnecessary to have language that would enable citizens leaving institutions to be eligible for Medicaid upon completion of the enrollment process.  Citizens are already eligible if they meet all conditions of eligibility.

 

MW/yr