_____________ bill NO. _____________

INTRODUCED BY _________________________________________________

By Request of the ****

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT DIRECTING THE DEPARTMENT OF public HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO APPLY FOR reinstatement of 12-MONTH CONTINUOUS ELIGIBILITY FOR CERTAIN MEDICAID COVERAGE GROUPS; and PROVIDING AN immediate EFFECTIVE DATE."

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:

NEW SECTION. Section 1. Twelve-month continuous eligibility for parents, caretaker relatives, and medicaid expansion population -- direction to department of public health and human services. (1) The legislature directs the department of public health and human services to apply for amendments to existing medicaid section 1115 waivers to authorize reinstatement of 12-month continuous eligibility for medicaid coverage for:

(a)        parents and caretaker relatives, as allowed prior to the waiver amendment approved March 30, 2022; and

(b)        adults eligible for medicaid pursuant to Title 53, chapter 6, part 13, as allowed prior to the waiver amendment approved December 21, 2021.

(2)        The department shall submit amendments no later than September 30, 2023, to authorize 12-month continuous eligibility under:

(a)        the waiver for additional services and populations, project number 11-W-00181/8, for parents and caretaker relatives initially determined eligible for medicaid in the eligibility groups described in section 1931 and section 1925 of the federal Social Security Act; and

(b)        the health and economic livelihood partnership (HELP) waiver, project number 11-W-00300/8, for the medicaid expansion population.

NEW SECTION. Section 2. Effective date. [This act] is effective on passage and approval.