SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1196        FILED ON: 2/12/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 794

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Jason M. Lewis

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act regarding Medicare savings programs eligibility.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

 

Jason M. Lewis

Fifth Middlesex

 

Sal N. DiDomenico

Middlesex and Suffolk

 

Joanne M. Comerford

Hampshire, Franklin and Worcester

3/8/2021

Michael D. Brady

Second Plymouth and Bristol

3/8/2021

James B. Eldridge

Middlesex and Worcester

3/8/2021

Mark C. Montigny

Second Bristol and Plymouth

3/11/2021

Angelo J. Puppolo, Jr.

12th Hampden

3/17/2021

Eric P. Lesser

First Hampden and Hampshire

3/17/2021

Patricia D. Jehlen

Second Middlesex

3/23/2021

Joseph A. Boncore

First Suffolk and Middlesex

3/25/2021

Walter F. Timilty

Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth

3/29/2021

Patrick M. O'Connor

Plymouth and Norfolk

4/7/2021

Erika Uyterhoeven

27th Middlesex

4/7/2021

Steven Ultrino

33rd Middlesex

4/13/2021

Julian Cyr

Cape and Islands

5/6/2021

Bruce E. Tarr

First Essex and Middlesex

6/2/2021

Susan L. Moran

Plymouth and Barnstable

6/2/2021

Joan B. Lovely

Second Essex

6/28/2021

Brendan P. Crighton

Third Essex

7/15/2021

Nick Collins

First Suffolk

7/23/2021


SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1196        FILED ON: 2/12/2021

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 794

By Mr. Lewis, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 794) of Jason M. Lewis, Sal N. DiDomenico, Joanne M. Comerford, Michael D. Brady and other members of the General Court for legislation relative to Medicare savings programs eligibility.  Health Care Financing.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE SENATE, NO. 699 OF 2019-2020.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninety-Second General Court
(2021-2022)

_______________

 

An Act regarding Medicare savings programs eligibility.

 

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

Section 25A of Chapter 118E of the General Laws is hereby amended by replacing Section 25A with the following section:-

SECTION  25A. The division shall disregard income in an amount equivalent to sixty-five percent of the federal poverty level, as adjusted annually, in determining eligibility for the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary, Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary and Qualified Individual programs, described in 42 U.S.C. §1396(a)(10)(E) and also known as the Medicare Savings or Medicare Buy-In Programs in accordance with the following schedule or such earlier date as the division determines to be feasible: In the year in which the state plan amendment is approved, the division shall disregard income in an amount equivalent  to forty-five percent (45%) of the federal poverty level; in the following year the division shall disregard income in an amount equivalent to sixty-five percent (65%) of the federal poverty level.

The division shall implement a waiting list in any year in which the number of qualified applicants for the Qualified Individual Program exceeds the annual block grant amount for said program. The division shall not apply an asset test in determining eligibility for said Medicare Savings Programs. The division shall submit a state plan amendment to implement this section no later than 30 days after the effective date of this section and subsequently promulgate all regulations necessary to implement said income and asset disregards.