Human Services Committee
Public Health Committee
AN ACT PROVIDING STATE-FUNDED MEDICAL COVERAGE TO CHILDREN IN THE CARE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEVELOPMENTAL SERVICES
SUMMARY: This act expands eligibility for state-funded medical assistance to include children under the Department of Developmental Services' (DDS) voluntary services program who are not receiving, have not yet qualified for, or are ineligible for Medicaid. It also extends these benefits to any child under the Department of Children and Families (DCF) commissioner's supervision who is ineligible for Medicaid, not just those ineligible because of institutional status. By law, children under DCF care who are not receiving or have not yet qualified for Medicaid are also eligible.
The act requires the DDS commissioner, to the extent practicable, to apply on behalf of a child, or help a child in the program qualify for, Medicaid. The law already requires the DCF commissioner to do this on behalf of children under her supervision.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2009
BACKGROUND
State-Funded Medical Assistance
DSS runs a state-funded medical assistance program for children under DCF supervision through a cooperative arrangement with DCF. These include children who are (1) incarcerated or residing in detention facilities, (2) undocumented non-citizens, (3) being placed in residential treatment facilities under the voluntary services program, and (4) not yet determined eligible for Medicaid. Federal law prohibits states from granting Medicaid eligibility to individuals in correctional institutions.
State medical assistance provides one month of bridge coverage to children in the voluntary services program who are placed in residential treatment while their parent's income is still counted in determining their child's Medicaid eligibility. It may also cover children placed in out-of-state treatment facilities who may not be eligible for Medicaid.
The voluntary services program was operated solely by DCF until 2005 when it signed an interagency agreement with DDS to transition children in the program with a dual mental health and mental retardation diagnosis to DDS. DDS also serves new applicants with this dual diagnosis.
OLR Tracking: ND: VR: SS: TS