Section 208.202

Title XII PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE

Chapter 208

Effective - 28 Aug 2007, 2 histories, see footnote   (history) 

  208.202.  Premium offset program, pilot project authorized, eligibility. — 1. The director of the MO HealthNet division, in collaboration with other appropriate agencies, is authorized to implement, subject to appropriation, a pilot project premium offset program for making standardized private health insurance coverage available to qualified individuals. Subject to approval by the oversight committee created in section 208.955, the division shall implement the program in two regions in the state, with one in an urban area and one in a rural area. Under the program:

  (1) An individual is qualified for the premium offset if the individual has been uninsured for one year;

  (2) An individual's income shall not exceed one hundred eighty-five percent of the federal poverty level;

  (3) The premium offset shall only be payable for an employee if the employer or employee or both pay their respective shares of the required premium. Absent employer participation, a qualified employee, or qualified employee and qualified spouse, may directly enroll in the MO HealthNet premium offset program;

  (4) The qualified uninsured individual shall not be entitled to MO HealthNet wraparound services.

  2. Individuals qualified for the premium offset program established under this section who apply after appropriation authority is depleted to pay for the premium offset shall be placed on a waiting list for that state fiscal year. If additional money is appropriated the MO HealthNet division shall process applications for MO HealthNet premium offset services based on the order in which applicants were placed on the waiting list.

  3. No employer shall participate in the pilot project for more than five years.

  4. The department of social services is authorized to pursue either a federal waiver or a state plan amendment, or both, to obtain federal funds necessary to implement a premium offset program to assist uninsured lower-income Missourians in obtaining health care coverage.

  5. The provisions of this section shall expire June 30, 2011.

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(L. 2007 S.B. 577)

Expires 6-30-11