SB 935 - This act modifies provisions relating to annual income and eligibility verification for MO HealthNet by repealing language requiring the Family Support Division to annually send a re-verification letter to a recipient and receiving the recipient's response within 10 days. This act requires the Division to follow federal regulations for the eligibility redetermination and renewal process, which includes making the determination based on information to which the Division may already have access rather than requiring information from the recipient. Additionally, a child who is determined to be eligible for MO HealthNet benefits shall remain eligible for 12 months subsequent to the last day of the month in which the child was enrolled, unless the state is aware the child has moved out of the state or the child has reached 19 years of age.
Finally, the act modifies provisions of law relating to waiting periods after enrollment for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Currently, there shall be a 30-day waiting period after enrollment for a child in a family with an income of more than 225% of the federal poverty level (FPL) before the child becomes eligible for coverage. Under this act, there shall be no waiting period after receipt of an application for an uninsured child before the child becomes eligible for coverage. Under current law, if a parent or guardian of a child in a family with an income of more than 225% FPL fails to meet the copayment or premium requirements of the program, the child shall not be eligible for coverage for 90 days after the Department of Social Services provides notice of the failure to the parent or guardian. This act requires that the parent or guardian fail to meet the copayment requirements on 3 separate occasions or fail to meet the premium requirements for 3 consecutive months before making the child ineligible for coverage for 90 days.
This act is identical to provisions in HB 42 (2021) and substantially similar to provisions in HCS/SCS/SB 982 (2022).
SARAH HASKINS