§1396e–1. Premium assistance

(a) In general

A State may elect to offer a premium assistance subsidy (as defined in subsection (c)) for qualified employer-sponsored coverage (as defined in subsection (b)) to all individuals who are entitled to medical assistance under this subchapter (and, in the case of an individual under age 19, to the parent of such an individual) who have access to such coverage if the State meets the requirements of this section and the offering of such a subsidy is cost-effective, as defined for purposes of section 1397ee(c)(3)(A) of this title.

(b) Qualified employer-sponsored coverage

(1) In general

Subject to paragraph (2)),¹ in this paragraph, the term "qualified employer-sponsored coverage" means a group health plan or health insurance coverage offered through an employer-

(A) that qualifies as creditable coverage as a group health plan under section 2701(c)(1) of the Public Health Service Act; ²

(B) for which the employer contribution toward any premium for such coverage is at least 40 percent; and

(C) that is offered to all individuals in a manner that would be considered a nondiscriminatory eligibility classification for purposes of paragraph (3)(A)(ii) of section 105(h) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (but determined without regard to clause (i) of subparagraph (B) of such paragraph).

(2) Exception

Such term does not include coverage consisting of-

(A) benefits provided under a health flexible spending arrangement (as defined in section 106(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986); or

(B) a high deductible health plan (as defined in section 223(c)(2) of such Code), without regard to whether the plan is purchased in conjunction with a health savings account (as defined under section 223(d) of such Code).

(3) Treatment as third party liability

The State shall treat the coverage provided under qualified employer-sponsored coverage as a third party liability under section 1396a(a)(25) of this title.

(c) Premium assistance subsidy

In this section, the term "premium assistance subsidy" means the amount of the employee contribution for enrollment in the qualified employer-sponsored coverage by the individual or by the individual's family. Premium assistance subsidies under this section shall be considered, for purposes of section 1396b(a) of this title, to be a payment for medical assistance.

(d) Voluntary participation

(1) Employers

Participation by an employer in a premium assistance subsidy offered by a State under this section shall be voluntary. An employer may notify a State that it elects to opt-out of being directly paid a premium assistance subsidy on behalf of an employee.

(2) Beneficiaries

No subsidy shall be provided to an individual under this section unless the individual (or the individual's parent) voluntarily elects to receive such a subsidy. A State may not require such an election as a condition of receipt of medical assistance. A State may not require, as a condition of an individual (or the individual's parent) being or remaining eligible for medical assistance under this subchapter, that the individual (or the individual's parent) apply for enrollment in qualified employer-sponsored coverage under this section.

(3) Opt-out permitted for any month

A State shall establish a process for permitting an individual (or the parent of an individual) receiving a premium assistance subsidy to disenroll the individual from the qualified employer-sponsored coverage.

(e) Requirement to pay premiums and cost-sharing and provide supplemental coverage

In the case of the participation of an individual (or the individual's parent) in a premium assistance subsidy under this section for qualified employer-sponsored coverage, the State shall provide for payment of all enrollee premiums for enrollment in such coverage and all deductibles, coinsurance, and other cost-sharing obligations for items and services otherwise covered under the State plan under this subchapter (exceeding the amount otherwise permitted under section 1396o of this title or, if applicable, section 1396o–1 of this title). The fact that an individual (or a parent) elects to enroll in qualified employer-sponsored coverage under this section shall not change the individual's (or parent's) eligibility for medical assistance under the State plan, except insofar as section 1396a(a)(25) of this title provides that payments for such assistance shall first be made under such coverage.

(Aug. 14, 1935, ch. 531, title XIX, §1906A, as added Pub. L. 111–3, title III, §301(b), Feb. 4, 2009, 123 Stat. 61 ; amended Pub. L. 111–148, title II, §2003(a), (b), title X, §10203(b)(2), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 282 , 283, 927.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Section 2701 of the Public Health Service Act, referred to in subsec. (b)(1)(A), is section 2701 of act July 1, 1944, which was classified to section 300gg of this title, was renumbered section 2704, effective for plan years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2014, with certain exceptions, and amended, by Pub. L. 111–148, title I, §§1201(2), 1563(c)(1), formerly §1562(c)(1), title X, §10107(b)(1), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 154 , 264, 911, and was transferred to section 300gg–3 of this title. A new section 2701 of act July 1, 1944, related to fair health insurance premiums, was added, effective for plan years beginning on or after Jan. 1, 2014, and amended, by Pub. L. 111–148, title I, §1201(4), title X, §10103(a), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 155 , 892, and is classified to section 300gg of this title.

The Internal Revenue Code of 1986, referred to in subsec. (b)(1)(C), (2), is classified generally to Title 26, Internal Revenue Code.

Amendments

2010-Pub. L. 111–148, §2003(b), struck out "option for children" after "assistance" in section catchline.

Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 111–148, §10203(b)(2)(A), inserted "and the offering of such a subsidy is cost-effective, as defined for purposes of section 1397ee(c)(3)(A) of this title" before period at end.

Pub. L. 111–148, §2003(a)(1)(B), (C), struck out "under age 19" after "all individuals" and inserted ", in the case of an individual under age 19," after "(and".

Pub. L. 111–148, §2003(a)(1)(A), which directed substitution of "shall" for "may elect to", was not executed because of Pub. L. 111–148, §10203(b)(2)(B), set out as a note under this section.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 111–148, §2003(a)(2), struck out "under age 19" after "by the individual".

Subsec. (d)(2). Pub. L. 111–148, §2003(a)(3)(A), struck out "under age 19" after "to an individual" and substituted "A State may not require, as a condition of an individual (or the individual's parent) being or remaining eligible for medical assistance under this subchapter, that the individual (or the individual's parent) apply for enrollment in qualified employer-sponsored coverage under this section." for "State may not require, as a condition of an individual under age 19 (or the individual's parent) being or remaining eligible for medical assistance under this subchapter, apply for enrollment in qualified employer-sponsored coverage under this section."

Subsec. (d)(3). Pub. L. 111–148, §2003(a)(3)(B), substituted "an individual (or the parent of an individual)" for "the parent of an individual under age 19".

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 111–148, §2003(a)(4), struck out "under age 19" after "an individual" in two places.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2010 Amendment

Pub. L. 111–148, title II, §2003(c), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 283 , provided that: "The amendments made by this section [amending this section] take effect on January 1, 2014."

Pub. L. 111–148, title X, §10203(b), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 927 , provided that the amendment made by section 10203(b)(2)(A) of Pub. L. 111–148 is effective as if included in the enactment of the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111–3).

Effective Date

Section effective Apr. 1, 2009, and applicable to child health assistance and medical assistance provided on or after that date, with certain exceptions, see section 3 of Pub. L. 111–3, set out as a note under section 1396 of this title.

Effect of Certain Amendment by Pub. L. 111–148

Pub. L. 111–148, title X, §10203(b)(2)(B), Mar. 23, 2010, 124 Stat. 927 , provided that: "This Act shall be applied without regard to subparagraph (A) of section 2003(a)(1) of this Act [amending this section] and that subparagraph and the amendment made by that subparagraph are hereby deemed null, void, and of no effect."

¹ So in original. The second closing parenthesis probably should not appear.

² See References in Text note below.