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

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, and including provision for utilization of professional medical personnel in the administration and, where administered locally, supervision of administration of the plan) 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 section 27 of the Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act (41 U.S.C. 423) to persons described in subsection (a)(2) of such section of that Act;

(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 of this chapter (insofar as it relates to the aged) if the State is eligible to participate in the State plan program established under subchapter XVI of this chapter, 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 of this chapter if the State is not eligible to participate in the State plan program established under subchapter XVI of this chapter;

(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 safeguards which restrict the use or disclosure of information concerning applicants and recipients to purposes directly connected with the administration of the plan;

(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, and

(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;

(10) provide--

(A) for making medical assistance available, including at least the care and

services listed in paragraphs (1) through (5), (17) and (21) 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 of this chapter, or part A or part E of subchapter IV of this chapter (including individuals eligible under this subchapter by reason of section 602(a)(37), 606(h), or 673(b) of this title, or considered by the State to be receiving such aid as authorized under section 682(e)(6) of this title),

(II) with respect to whom supplemental security income benefits are being paid under subchapter XVI of this chapter (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 or who are qualified severely impaired individuals (as defined in section 1396d(q) of this title),

(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) of this section and whose family income does not exceed the minimum income level the State is required to establish under subsection (l)(2)(A) of this section for such a family; (V) who are qualified family members as defined in section 1396d(m)(1) of this title; (VI) who are described in subparagraph (C) of subsection (l)(1) of this section and whose family income does not exceed the income level the State is required to establish under subsection (l)(2)(B) of this section for such a family, or

(VII) who are described in subparagraph (D) of subsection (l)(1) of this section and whose family income does not exceed the income level the State is required to establish under subsection (l)(2)(C) of this section for such a family;

(ii) at the option of the State, to any group or groups of individuals described in section 1396d(a) of this title (or, in the case of individuals described in section 1396d(a)(i) of this title, to any reasonable categories of such individuals) who are not individuals described in clause (i) of this subparagraph but--

(I) who meet the income and resources requirements of the appropriate State plan described in clause (i) or the supplemental security income program (as the case may be),

(II) who would meet the income and resources requirements of the appropriate State plan described in clause (i) if their work-related child care costs were paid from their earnings rather than by a State agency as a service expenditure,

(III) who would be eligible to receive aid under the appropriate State plan described in clause (i) if coverage under such plan was as broad as allowed under Federal law,

(IV) with respect to whom there is being paid, or who are eligible, or would be eligible if they were not in a medical institution, to have paid with respect to them, aid or assistance under the appropriate State plan described in clause (i), supplemental security income benefits under subchapter XVI of this chapter, or a State supplementary payment;

(V) who are in a medical institution for a period of not less than 30 consecutive days (with eligibility by reason of this subclause beginning on the first day of such period), who meet the resource requirements of the appropriate State plan described in clause (i) or the supplemental security income program, and whose income does not exceed a separate income standard established by the State which is consistent with the limit established under section 1396b(f)(4)(C) of this title,

(VI) who would be eligible under the State plan under this subchapter if they were in a medical institution, with respect to whom there has been a determination that but for the provision of home or community-based services described in subsection (c), (d), or (e) of section 1396n of this title they would require the level of care provided in a hospital, nursing facility or intermediate care facility for the mentally retarded the cost of which could be reimbursed under the State plan, and who will receive home or community-based services pursuant to a waiver granted by the Secretary under subsection (c), (d), or (e) of section 1396n of this title,

(VII) who would be eligible under the State plan under this subchapter if they were in a medical institution, who are terminally ill, and who will receive hospice care pursuant to a voluntary election described in section 1396d(o) of this title;

(VIII) who is a child described in section 1396d(a)(i) of this title--

(aa) for whom there is in effect an adoption assistance agreement (other than an agreement under part E of subchapter IV of this chapter) between the State and an adoptive parent or parents,

(bb) who the State agency responsible for adoption assistance has determined cannot be placed with adoptive parents without medical assistance because such child has special needs for medical or rehabilitative care, and

(cc) who was eligible for medical assistance under the State plan prior to the adoption assistance agreement being entered into, or who would have been eligible for medical assistance at such time if the eligibility standards and methodologies of the State's foster care program under part E of subchapter IV of this chapter were applied rather than the eligibility standards and methodologies of the State's aid to families with dependent children program under part A of subchapter IV of this chapter;

(IX) who are described in subsection (l)(1) of this section and are not described in clause (i)(IV), clause (i)(VI), or clause (i)(VII);

(X) who are described in subsection (m)(1) of this section;

(XI) who receive only an optional State supplementary payment based on need and paid on a regular basis, equal to the difference between the individual's countable income and the income standard used to determine eligibility for such supplementary payment (with countable income being the income remaining after deductions as established by the State pursuant to standards that may be more restrictive than the standards for supplementary security income benefits under subchapter XVI of this chapter), which are available to all individuals in the State (but which may be based on different income standards by political subdivision according to cost of living differences), and which are paid by a State that does not have an agreement with the Commissioner of Social Security under section 1382e or 1383c of this title;

(XII) who are described in subsection (z)(1) of this section (relating to certain TB-infected individuals);

(XIII) who are in families whose income is less than 250 percent of the income official poverty line (as defined by the Office of Management and Budget, and revised annually in accordance with section 9902(2) of this title) applicable to a family of the size involved, and who but for earnings in excess of the limit established under section 1396d(q)(2)(B) of this title, would be considered to be receiving supplemental security income (subject, notwithstanding section 1396o of this title, to payment of premiums or other cost-sharing charges (set on a sliding scale based on income) that the State may determine);

(XIV) who are optional targeted low-income children described in section 1396d(u)(2)(B) of this title; or

(XV) who are independent foster care adolescents (as defined in section 1396d(v)(1) of this title), or who are within any reasonable categories of such adolescents specified by the State;

(C) that if medical assistance is included for any group of individuals described in section 1396d(a) of this title who are not described in subparagraph (A) or (E), then--

(i) the plan must include a description of (I) the criteria for determining eligibility of individuals in the group for such medical assistance, (II) the amount, duration, and scope of medical assistance made available to individuals in the group, and (III) the single standard to be employed in determining income and resource eligibility for all such groups, and the methodology to be employed in determining such eligibility, which shall be no more restrictive than the methodology which would be employed under the supplemental security income program in the case of groups consisting of aged, blind, or disabled individuals in a State in which such program is in effect, and which shall be no more restrictive than the methodology which would be employed under the appropriate State plan (described in subparagraph (A)(i)) to which such group is most closely categorically related in the case of other groups;

(ii) the plan must make available medical assistance--

(I) to individuals under the age of 18 who (but for income and resources) would be eligible for medical assistance as an individual described in subparagraph (A)(i), and

(II) to pregnant women, during the course of their pregnancy, who (but for income and resources) would be eligible for medical assistance as an individual described in subparagraph (A);

(iii) such medical assistance must include (I) with respect to children under 18 and individuals entitled to institutional services, ambulatory services, and (II) with respect to pregnant women, prenatal care and delivery services; and

(iv) if such medical assistance includes services in institutions for mental diseases or in an intermediate care facility for the mentally retarded (or both) for any such group, it also must include for all groups covered at least the care and services listed in paragraphs (1) through (5) and (17) of section 1396d(a) of this title or the care and services listed in any 7 of the paragraphs numbered (1) through (24) of such section;

(D) for the inclusion of home health services for any individual who, under the State plan, is entitled to nursing facility services; and

(E)(i) for making medical assistance available for medicare cost-sharing (as defined in section 1396d(p)(3) of this title) for qualified medicare beneficiaries described in section 1396d(p)(1) of this title;

(ii) for making medical assistance available for payment of medicare cost- sharing described in section 1396d(p)(3)(A)(i) of this title for qualified disabled and working individuals described in section 1396d(s) of this title;

(iii) for making medical assistance available for medicare cost sharing described in section 1396d(p)(3)(A)(ii) of this title subject to section 1396d(p)(4) of this title, for individuals who would be qualified medicare beneficiaries described in section 1396d(p)(1) of this title but for the fact that their income exceeds the income level established by the State under section 1396d(p)(2) of this title but is less than 110 percent in 1993 and 1994, and 120 percent in 1995 and years thereafter of the official poverty line (referred to in such section) for a family of the size involved; and

(iv) subject to sections 1396u-3 and 1396d(p)(4) of this title, for making medical assistance available (but only for premiums payable with respect to months during the period beginning with January 1998, and ending with December 2002)--

(I) for medicare cost-sharing described in section 1396d(p)(3)(A)(ii) of this title for individuals who would be qualified medicare beneficiaries described in section 1396d(p)(1) of this title but for the fact that their income exceeds the income level established by the State under section 1396d(p)(2) of this title and is at least 120 percent, but less than 135 percent, of the official poverty line (referred to in such section) for a family of the size involved and who are not otherwise eligible for medical assistance under the State plan, and

(II) for the portion of medicare cost-sharing described in section 1396d(p)(3)(A)(ii) of this title that is attributable to the operation of the amendments made by (and subsection (e)(3) of) section 4611 of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 for individuals who would be described in subclause (I) if "135 percent" and "175 percent" were substituted for "120 percent" and "135 percent" respectively;

(F) at the option of a State, for making medical assistance available for COBRA premiums (as defined in subsection (u)(2) of this section) for qualified COBRA continuation beneficiaries described in subsection (u)(1) of this section; and

(G) that, in applying eligibility criteria of the supplemental security income program under subchapter XVI of this chapter [42 U.S.C.A. § 1381 et seq.] for purposes of determining eligibility for medical assistance under the State plan of an individual who is not receiving supplemental security income, the State will disregard the provisions of subsections (c) and (e) of section 1382b of this title; except that (I) the making available of the services described in paragraph (4), (14), or (16) of section 1396d(a) of this title to individuals meeting the age requirements prescribed therein shall not, by reason of this paragraph (10), require the making available of any such services, or the making available of such services of the same amount, duration, and scope, to individuals of any other ages, (II) the making available of supplementary medical insurance benefits under part B of subchapter XVIII of this chapter to individuals eligible therefor (either pursuant to an agreement entered into under section 1395v of this title or by reason of the payment of premiums under such subchapter by the State agency on behalf of such individuals), or provision for meeting part or all of the cost of deductibles, cost sharing, or similar charges under part B of subchapter XVIII of this chapter for individuals eligible for benefits under such part, shall not, by reason of this paragraph (10), require the making available of any such benefits, or the making available of services of the same amount, duration, and scope, to any other individuals, (III) the making available of medical assistance equal in amount, duration, and scope to the medical assistance made available to individuals described in clause (A) to any classification of individuals approved by the Secretary with respect to whom there is being paid, or who are eligible, or would be eligible if they were not in a medical institution, to have paid with respect to them, a State supplementary payment shall not, by reason of this paragraph (10), require the making available of any such assistance, or the making available of such assistance of the same amount, duration, and scope, to any other individuals not described in clause (A), (IV) the imposition of a deductible, cost sharing, or similar charge for any item or service furnished to an individual not eligible for the exemption under section 1396o(a)(2) or (b)(2) of this title shall not require the imposition of a deductible, cost sharing, or similar charge for the same item or service furnished to an individual who is eligible for such exemption, (V) the making available to pregnant women covered under the plan of services relating to pregnancy (including prenatal, delivery, and postpartum services) or to any other condition which may complicate pregnancy shall not, by reason of this paragraph (10), require the making available of such services, or the making available of such services of the same amount, duration, and scope, to any other individuals, provided such services are made available (in the same amount, duration, and scope) to all pregnant women covered under the State plan, (VI) with respect to the making available of medical assistance for hospice care to terminally ill individuals who have made a voluntary election described in section 1396d(o) of this title to receive hospice care instead of medical assistance for certain other services, such assistance may not be made available in an amount, duration, or scope less than that provided under subchapter XVIII of this chapter, and the making available of such assistance shall not, by reason of this paragraph (10), require the making available of medical assistance for hospice care to other individuals or the making available of medical assistance for services waived by such terminally ill individuals, (VII) the medical assistance made available to an individual described in subsection (l)(1)(A) of this section who is eligible for medical assistance only because of subparagraph (A)(i)(IV) or (A)(ii)(IX) shall be limited to medical assistance for services related to pregnancy (including prenatal, delivery, postpartum, and family planning services) and to other conditions which may complicate pregnancy, (VIII) the medical assistance made available to a qualified medicare beneficiary described in section 1396d(p)(1) of this title who is only entitled to medical assistance because the individual is such a beneficiary shall be limited to medical assistance for medicare cost- sharing (described in section 1396d(p)(3) of this title), subject to the provisions of subsection (n) of this section and section 1396o(b) of this title, (IX) the making available of respiratory care services in accordance with subsection (e)(9) of this section shall not, by reason of this paragraph (10), require the making available of such services, or the making available of such services of the same amount, duration, and scope, to any individuals not included under subsection (e)(9)(A) of this section, provided such services are made available (in the same amount, duration, and scope) to all individuals described in such subsection, (X) if the plan provides for any fixed durational limit on medical assistance for inpatient hospital services (whether or not such a limit varies by medical condition or diagnosis), the plan must establish exceptions to such a limit for medically necessary inpatient hospital services furnished with respect to individuals under one year of age in a hospital defined under the State plan, pursuant to section 1396r-4(a)(1)(A) of this title, as a disproportionate share hospital and subparagraph (B) (relating to comparability) shall not be construed as requiring such an exception for other individuals, services, or hospitals, (XI) the making available of medical assistance to cover the costs of premiums, deductibles, coinsurance, and other cost-sharing obligations for certain individuals for private health coverage as described in section 1396e of this title shall not, by reason of paragraph (10), require the making available of any such benefits or the making available of services of the same amount, duration, and scope of such private coverage to any other individuals, (XII) the medical assistance made available to an individual described in subsection (u)(1) of this section who is eligible for medical assistance only because of subparagraph (F) shall be limited to medical assistance for COBRA continuation premiums (as defined in subsection (u)(2) of this section), and (XIII) the medical assistance made available to an individual described in subsection (z)(1) of this section who is eligible for medical assistance only because of subparagraph (A)(ii)(XII) shall be limited to medical assistance for TB-related services (described in subsection (z)(2) of this section);

(11) (A) provide for entering into cooperative arrangements with the State agencies responsible for administering or supervising the administration of health services and vocational rehabilitation services in the State looking toward maximum utilization of such services in the provision of medical assistance under the plan, (B) provide, to the extent prescribed by the Secretary, for entering into agreements, with any agency, institution, or organization receiving payments under (or through an allotment under) subchapter V of this chapter, (i) providing for utilizing such agency, institution, or organization in furnishing care and services which are available under such subchapter or allotment and which are included in the State plan approved under this section (ii) making such provision as may be appropriate for reimbursing such agency, institution, or organization for the cost of any such care and services furnished any individual for which payment would otherwise be made to the State with respect to the individual under section 1396b of this title, and (iii) providing for coordination of information and education on pediatric vaccinations and delivery of immunization services, and (C) provide for coordination of the operations under this subchapter, including the provision of information and education on pediatric vaccinations and the delivery of immunization services, with the State's operations under the special supplemental nutrition program for women, infants, and children under section 1786 of this title;

(12) provide that, in determining whether an individual is blind, there shall be an examination by a physician skilled in the diseases of the eye or by an optometrist, whichever the individual may select;

(13) provide--

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