42 U.S.C. § 1396a - State plans for medical assistance

• Cite as: 42 U.S.C. § 1396a

(a) Contents

A State plan for medical assistance must-

(1) provide that it shall be in effect in all political subdivisions of the State, and, if administered by them, be mandatory upon them;

(2) provide for financial participation by the State equal to not less than 40 per centum of the non-Federal share of the expenditures under the plan with respect to which payments under section 1396b of this title are authorized by this subchapter; and, effective July 1, 1969, provide for financial participation by the State equal to all of such non-Federal share or provide for distribution of funds from Federal or State sources, for carrying out the State plan, on an equalization or other basis which will assure that the lack of adequate funds from local sources will not result in lowering the amount, duration, scope, or quality of care and services available under the plan;

(3) provide for granting an opportunity for a fair hearing before the State agency to any individual whose claim for medical assistance under the plan is denied or is not acted upon with reasonable promptness;

(4) provide (A) such methods of administration (including methods relating to the establishment and maintenance of personnel standards on a merit basis, except that the Secretary shall exercise no authority with respect to the selection, tenure of office, and compensation of any individual employed in accordance with such methods, including provision for utilization of professional medical personnel in the administration and, where administered locally, supervision of administration of the plan, and, subject to section 1396b(i) of this title, including a specification that the single State agency described in paragraph (5) will ensure necessary transportation for beneficiaries under the State plan to and from providers and a description of the methods that such agency will use to ensure such transportation) as are found by the Secretary to be necessary for the proper and efficient operation of the plan, (B) for the training and effective use of paid subprofessional staff, with particular emphasis on the full-time or part-time employment of recipients and other persons of low income, as community service aides, in the administration of the plan and for the use of nonpaid or partially paid volunteers in a social service volunteer program in providing services to applicants and recipients and in assisting any advisory committees established by the State agency, (C) that each State or local officer, employee, or independent contractor who is responsible for the expenditure of substantial amounts of funds under the State plan, each individual who formerly was such an officer, employee, or contractor, and each partner of such an officer, employee, or contractor shall be prohibited from committing any act, in relation to any activity under the plan, the commission of which, in connection with any activity concerning the United States Government, by an officer or employee of the United States Government, an individual who was such an officer or employee, or a partner of such an officer or employee is prohibited by section 207 or 208 of title 18, and (D) that each State or local officer, employee, or independent contractor who is responsible for selecting, awarding, or otherwise obtaining items and services under the State plan shall be subject to safeguards against conflicts of interest that are at least as stringent as the safeguards that apply under chapter 21 of title 41 to persons described in section 2102(a)(3) of title 41;

(5) either provide for the establishment or designation of a single State agency to administer or to supervise the administration of the plan; or provide for the establishment or designation of a single State agency to administer or to supervise the administration of the plan, except that the determination of eligibility for medical assistance under the plan shall be made by the State or local agency administering the State plan approved under subchapter I or XVI (insofar as it relates to the aged) if the State is eligible to participate in the State plan program established under subchapter XVI, or by the agency or agencies administering the supplemental security income program established under subchapter XVI or the State plan approved under part A of subchapter IV if the State is not eligible to participate in the State plan program established under subchapter XVI;

(6) provide that the State agency will make such reports, in such form and containing such information, as the Secretary may from time to time require, and comply with such provisions as the Secretary may from time to time find necessary to assure the correctness and verification of such reports;

(7) provide-

(A) safeguards which restrict the use or disclosure of information concerning applicants and recipients to purposes directly connected with-

(i) the administration of the plan; and

(ii) the exchange of information necessary to certify or verify the certification of eligibility of children for free or reduced price breakfasts under the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 [ 42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.] and free or reduced price lunches under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act [ 42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.], in accordance with section 9(b) of that Act [ 42 U.S.C. 1758(b) ], using data standards and formats established by the State agency; and

(B) that, notwithstanding the Express Lane option under subsection (e)(13), the State may enter into an agreement with the State agency administering the school lunch program established under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act under which the State shall establish procedures to ensure that-

(i) a child receiving medical assistance under the State plan under this subchapter whose family income does not exceed 133 percent of the poverty line (as defined in section 9902(2) of this title, including any revision required by such section), as determined without regard to any expense, block, or other income disregard, applicable to a family of the size involved, may be certified as eligible for free lunches under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act and free breakfasts under the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 without further application; and

(ii) the State agencies responsible for administering the State plan under this subchapter, and for carrying out the school lunch program established under the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq.) or the school breakfast program established by section 4 of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 ( 42 U.S.C. 1773 ), cooperate in carrying out paragraphs (3)(F) and (15) of section 9(b) of that Act [ 42 U.S.C. 1758(b) ];

(8) provide that all individuals wishing to make application for medical assistance under the plan shall have opportunity to do so, and that such assistance shall be furnished with reasonable promptness to all eligible individuals;

(9) provide-

(A) that the State health agency, or other appropriate State medical agency (whichever is utilized by the Secretary for the purpose specified in the first sentence of section 1395aa(a) of this title), shall be responsible for establishing and maintaining health standards for private or public institutions in which recipients of medical assistance under the plan may receive care or services,

(B) for the establishment or designation of a State authority or authorities which shall be responsible for establishing and maintaining standards, other than those relating to health, for such institutions,

(C) that any laboratory services paid for under such plan must be provided by a laboratory which meets the applicable requirements of section 1395x(e)(9) of this title or paragraphs (16) and (17) of section 1395x(s) of this title, or, in the case of a laboratory which is in a rural health clinic, of section 1395x(aa)(2)(G) of this title, and

(D) that the State maintain a consumer-oriented website providing useful information to consumers regarding all skilled nursing facilities and all nursing facilities in the State, including for each facility, Form 2567 State inspection reports (or a successor form), complaint investigation reports, the facility's plan of correction, and such other information that the State or the Secretary considers useful in assisting the public to assess the quality of long term care options and the quality of care provided by individual facilities;

(10) provide-

(A) for making medical assistance available, including at least the care and services listed in paragraphs (1) through (5), (17), (21), (28), (29), and (30) of section 1396d(a) of this title, to-

(i) all individuals-

(I) who are receiving aid or assistance under any plan of the State approved under subchapter I, X, XIV, or XVI, or part A or part E of subchapter IV (including individuals eligible under this subchapter by reason of section 602(a)(37),¹ 606(h),¹ or 673(b) of this title, or considered by the State to be receiving such aid as authorized under section 682(e)(6)¹ of this title),

(II)

(aa) with respect to whom supplemental security income benefits are being paid under subchapter XVI (or were being paid as of the date of the enactment of section 211(a) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-193) and would continue to be paid but for the enactment of that section), (bb) who are qualified severely impaired individuals (as defined in section 1396d(q) of this title), or (cc) who are under 21 years of age and with respect to whom supplemental security income benefits would be paid under subchapter XVI if subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 1382(c)(7) of this title were applied without regard to the phrase "the first day of the month following",

(III) who are qualified pregnant women or children as defined in section 1396d(n) of this title,

(IV) who are described in subparagraph (A) or (B) of subsection (l)(1) and whose family income does not exceed the minimum income level the State is required to establish under subsection (l)(2)(A) for such a family; ²