Amendment #989 to H4000

Mass Health Benefits for Inmates

Representatives Vieira of Falmouth, Kocot of Northampton, Smola of Warren, Curran of Springfield and Vega of Holyoke move to amend the bill by adding the following section:

"SECTION XXXX.  Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, any individual who is enrolled in MassHealth at the time that they become an inmate of a penal institution shall have their benefits suspended indefinitely rather than terminated. MassHealth benefits shall remain unavailable to an inmate of penal institution for the duration suspension. Being an inmate of a penal institution shall not affect an individual’s eligibility for MassHealth or their ability to enroll in the program. Inmates of penal institutions shall have their MassHealth benefits immediately reactivated under the following conditions:

1.      upon their release from a penal institution; or

2.      they are inpatients in a medical facility; or

3.      they are living outside of the penal institution, are on parole, probation, or home release, and are not returning to the institution for overnight stays.

The Medicaid director shall promulgate regulations to implement this section. "