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S. 2218Senate116th Congress (2019-2021)In Committee

Covering our FAS Allies Act

Sponsored by Mazie K. HironoSen. Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI)
Introduced July 23, 2019

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 14, 2026 at 7:23 AM UTC

The Covering our FAS Allies Act would restore Medicaid eligibility for citizens of the Freely Associated States—Micronesia, the Marshall Islands, and Palau—who are lawfully living in the United States under the Compacts of Free Association. It changes federal Medicaid rules so these individuals can receive benefits just like other eligible residents, and it updates related definitions and payment‑limit calculations.

Key Provisions

  • Adds a new Medicaid exception (subparagraph G) to the 1996 welfare law, saying the usual eligibility restrictions do not apply to citizens of the Freely Associated States who reside in any state or D.C. under the Compacts.
  • Amends the five‑year limited‑eligibility rule so that the new Medicaid exception is included, allowing continued coverage for these individuals.
  • Expands the definition of “qualified alien” to specifically include persons residing in the U.S. under a Compact of Free Association for Medicaid purposes.
  • Updates the Social Security Act so that medical assistance costs for these individuals are not counted toward state Medicaid payment‑limit calculations.
  • Sets the changes to take effect for services provided on or after the law’s enactment.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action
SenateIntro Referral Latest Action

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Finance Committee

July 23, 2019

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

July 23, 2019

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.

Finance Committee

July 23, 2019

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued July 23, 2019

II

116th CONGRESS

1st Session

S. 2218

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

July 23, 2019

Ms. Hirono (for herself and Mr. Schatz) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

A BILL

To amend title IV of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 to restore Medicaid coverage for citizens of the Freely Associated States lawfully residing in the United States under the Compacts of Free Association between the Government of the United States and the Governments of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Covering our FAS Allies Act.

2.

Medicaid coverage for citizens of Freely Associated States

(a)

In general

Section 402(b)(2) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (8 U.S.C. 1612(b)(2)) is amended by adding at the end the following new subparagraph:

(G)

Medicaid exception for citizens of Freely Associated States

With respect to eligibility for benefits for the designated Federal program defined in paragraph (3)(C) (relating to the Medicaid program), section 401(a) and paragraph (1) shall not apply to any individual who lawfully resides in 1 of the 50 States or the District of Columbia in accordance with the Compacts of Free Association between the Government of the United States and the Governments of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau and shall not apply, at the option of the Governor of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, or American Samoa as communicated to the Secretary of Health and Human Services in writing, to any individual who lawfully resides in the respective territory in accordance with such Compacts.

.

(b)

Exception to 5-Year limited eligibility

Section 403(d) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1613(d)) is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (1), by striking or at the end;

(2)

in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; or; and

(3)

by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(3)

an individual described in section 402(b)(2)(G), but only with respect to the designated Federal program defined in section 402(b)(3)(C).

.

(c)

Definition of qualified alien

Section 431(b) of such Act (8 U.S.C. 1641(b)) is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (6), by striking ; or at the end and inserting a comma;

(2)

in paragraph (7), by striking the period at the end and inserting , or; and

(3)

by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(8)

an individual who lawfully resides in the United States in accordance with a Compact of Free Association referred to in section 402(b)(2)(G), but only with respect to the designated Federal program defined in section 402(b)(3)(C) (relating to the Medicaid program).

.

(d)

Conforming amendments

Section 1108 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1308) is amended—

(1)

in subsection (f), in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking subsection (g) and inserting subsections (g) and (h); and

(2)

by adding at the end the following:

(h)

Expenditures for medical assistance provided to an individual described in section 431(b)(8) of the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 shall not be taken into account for purposes of applying payment limits under subsections (f) and (g).

.

(e)

Effective date

The amendments made by this section shall apply to benefits for items and services furnished on or after the date of the enactment of this Act.