[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 322 Introduced in House (IH)]
108th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 322
To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to assure coverage for
legal immigrant children and pregnant women under the Medicaid Program
and the State children's health insurance program (SCHIP).
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 8, 2003
Mr. Towns introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Energy and Commerce
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to assure coverage for
legal immigrant children and pregnant women under the Medicaid Program
and the State children's health insurance program (SCHIP).
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Legal Immigrant Health Restoration
Act of 2003''.
SEC. 2. COVERAGE OF LEGAL IMMIGRANT PREGNANT WOMEN AND CHILDREN UNDER
THE MEDICAID PROGRAM AND SCHIP.
(a) Medicaid Program.--Section 1903(v) of the Social Security Act
(42 U.S.C. 1396b(v)) is amended by adding at the end the following new
paragraph:
``(4)(A) Notwithstanding sections 401(a), 402(b), 403, and
421 of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity
Reconciliation Act of 1996, a State plan under this title shall
provide (in a plan amendment) medical assistance under this
title for aliens who are lawfully residing in the United States
(including battered aliens described in section 431(c) of such
Act) and who are otherwise eligible for such assistance, within
either of the following eligibility categories:
``(i) Pregnant women.--Women during pregnancy (and
during the 60-day period beginning on the last day of
the pregnancy).
``(ii) Children.--Children (as defined under such
plan), including optional targeted low-income children
described in section 1905(u)(2)(B).
``(B) No debt shall accrue under an affidavit of support
against any sponsor of an alien within a category of aliens
under subparagraph (A) on the basis of provision of assistance
to such category and the cost of such assistance shall not be
considered as an unreimbursed cost.''.
(b) SCHIP.--Section 2107(e)(1) of such Act (42 U.S.C. 1397gg(e)(1))
as amended by section 803 of the Medicare, Medicaid, and SCHIP Benefits
Improvement and Protection Act of 2000, as enacted into law by section
1(a)(6) of Public Law 106-554, is amended by redesignating
subparagraphs (C) and (D) as subparagraph (D) and (E), respectively,
and by inserting after subparagraph (B) the following new subparagraph:
``(C) Section 1903(v)(4) (relating to coverage of
categories of permanent resident alien children).''.
(c) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take
effect on October 1, 2003, and apply to medical assistance and child
health assistance furnished on or after such date.
<all>