SB 866 - This act modifies provisions dealing with various health care and social services programs. This act removes the provision that makes Missouri an income first state as to the division of assets procedure for the purposes of determining eligibility for Medicaid when one spouse enters a nursing home and the other spouse remains in the community. (Section 208.010).
This act reinstates the former medical assistance for the working disabled (MAWD) and general relief medical assistance programs as they were before they were repealed in SB 539 (2005). (Sections 208.146 and 208.162).
This act raises the Medicaid eligibility level for old age assistance and permanently disabled recipients from the Social Security Income (SSI) level to 100% of the federal poverty level. (Section 208.151).
This act restores various optional services that were repealed in SB 539 (2005), including podiatry and dental, optometric, orthopedic, comprehensive day, and hospice services. (Section 208.152).
This act removes the provision that the department must promulgate rules requiring recipients of medical assistance to participate in cost-sharing activities for most covered services. In addition, the act no longer allows a health care provider to refuse to provide a service if a recipient is unable to pay a required fee. (Section 208.152).
This act raises from 151% to 225% of the federal poverty level the income of parents of uninsured children in the MC+ for Kids Program who are required to pay a premium. (Section 208.640).
This act also removes the provision giving the department of social services the right to enforce federal TEFRA liens on the property of permanently institutionalized individuals, which include those people who the department determines cannot reasonably be expected to be discharged and return home (Section 208.215).
ADRIANE CROUSE