S. 2244: Excluding Illegal Aliens from Medicaid Act

This legislation, titled the Excluding Illegal Aliens from Medicaid Act, proposes changes to the eligibility criteria for Medicaid in the United States, particularly concerning non-citizens. The bill seeks to amend existing laws regarding who can access Medicaid services based on immigration status.

Changes to Medicaid Eligibility

The bill aims to shift the effective date of a previous amendment regarding Medicaid eligibility for non-citizens. Specifically, it changes the effective date from October 1, 2026 to July 4, 2025. This means that the provisions that limit access to Medicaid for certain non-citizen individuals would come into effect sooner.

Expansion of Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP)

The legislation also aims to revise how Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) is calculated for states providing healthcare to certain populations. The FMAP determines the federal government’s share of Medicaid costs.

• Specified States: The bill introduces a definition for specified States, which are states that provide any form of financial assistance from their general funds to non-qualified aliens during a specified quarter. This financial assistance could relate to the purchase of health insurance or comprehensive health benefits.
• Eligibility for Assistance: The bill specifies that any assistance provided to non-qualified aliens (those who do not meet certain immigration criteria) will influence states' federal assistance rate. If a state works to provide such benefits, it will impact its share of federal funding under Medicaid.
• Other Considerations: It outlines how various terms related to immigration status—like alien and qualified alien—are defined in relation to the legislation.

Overall, this bill proposes to tighten Medicaid eligibility for certain non-citizens, ensuring that only specific categories of qualified individuals can access these benefits. It seeks to recalibrate the federal support states receive based on their financial assistance to these individuals.

Relevant Companies

None found