HOUSE BILL 371

54th legislature - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - first session, 2019

INTRODUCED BY

Rebecca Dow and Deborah A. Armstrong

 

 

 

 

 

AN ACT

RELATING TO PUBLIC ASSISTANCE; ENACTING A NEW SECTION OF THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE ACT TO REQUIRE THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT TO FACILITATE THE AUTOMATIC ENROLLMENT OF CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS INTO MEDICARE PART B COVERAGE.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO:

     SECTION 1. A new section of the Public Assistance Act is enacted to read:

     "[NEW MATERIAL] QUALIFIED MEDICARE BENEFICIARY RECIPIENTS--MEDICARE PART B COVERAGE AUTOMATIC ENROLLMENT.--

          A. The department shall provide for the automatic enrollment into medicare part B coverage of individuals:

                (1) whom it deems eligible for participating in the qualified medicare beneficiary program; and

                (2) who are not enrolled in medicare part B coverage.

          B. By August 1, 2019, the secretary shall adopt and promulgate rules to provide for informing, verbally and in writing, applicants for and recipients of qualified medicare beneficiary coverage that, if they are enrolled in the qualified medicare beneficiary program and, at the time of enrollment they are not enrolled in medicare part B, they are eligible for automatic enrollment in medicare part B coverage, regardless of whether general or "open" enrollment of medicare part B beneficiaries is allowed under federal law at the time a qualified medicare beneficiary program recipient enrolls in the qualified medicare beneficiary program.

          C. As used in this section:

                (1) "medicare part B" means the supplemental medical insurance program provided under part B of Title 18 of the federal Social Security Act; and

                (2) "qualified medicare beneficiary program" means the joint state-federal medical assistance program that provides for payment of recipients' premiums under part A of Title 18 of the federal Social Security Act and recipients' coinsurance and deductible amounts on services covered under medicare part B."

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