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2018 Session

Budget Amendments - HB30 (Member Request)

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Chief Patron: Sickles
Adjust Medicaid Eligibility for Consistency with TANF (language only)

Item 303 #41h

Item 303 #41h

Health and Human Resources
Department of Medical Assistance Services

Language

Page 278, after line 4, insert:

"PPP.  The Department of Medical Assistance Services shall adjust the "Groupings of Localities" used for certain categories of Medicaid eligibility to be consistent with the "Groupings of Localities" used in the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program. Any future changes to the locality groupings for purposes of determining TANF or Medicaid shall be implemented uniformly in both programs."



Explanation

(This amendment adds language to ensure that Medicaid eligibility is adjusted to be consistent with categories that group localities for purposes of determining the level of cash assistance in the Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) program. The grouping of localities originated in Virginia's Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) program (now TANF) to provide three different levels of cash assistance, depending on where the family resided to reflect differences in the cost of shelter. The three groups of localities were divided into rural (Group I), urban (Group II) and Northern Virginia (Group III). Medicaid adopted the same groupings to determine eligibility for certain Medicaid categories, such as the medically needy and low income parents. Over time the groups have been revised differently in both programs, and currently there are major inconsistencies that create inequities and complexities in the application processing.)