Bill Details
S.523 - 119th Congress
Status
Latest action
2025-02-11 - Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
Introduced Date
2025-02-11
Policy Area
Health
Committees
View committees (1)
Sponsors
Cosponsors
8
0
0
AI Summary This summary was generated by AI from the bill text. AI can get information wrong.
This bill would stop federal Medicaid money from being used to pay the administrative costs of state programs that give health benefits to people who are in the country without legal authorization. It is aimed at making sure federal Medicaid funds are not used to help run those parts of state health programs. The bill also says this limit should not block payment for systems or work needed to check and enforce compliance. In addition, it would require the Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General to send Congress a report within 180 days explaining how states handle these costs, how they make sure they are following the rules, how these programs are financed, and whether covered outpatient drugs given to these individuals affect drug pricing.
- Federal Medicaid funding could not be used for the administrative costs of state health benefit programs for noncitizens who do not qualify for Medicaid because of immigration status.
- The bill would still allow federal payment for systems used to make sure states follow this rule.
- Within 180 days, the HHS Inspector General would have to report on how states separate Medicaid administration costs from costs tied to these other health benefit programs.
- The report would also look at how states finance these programs, what methods they use to stay in compliance, and whether drugs provided through Medicaid or the 340B program affect average drug prices.
Official Summaries
Protect Medicaid Act
This bill prohibits federal payment under Medicaid for the administrative costs of providing health benefits to noncitizens who are ineligible for Medicaid based on their immigration status. The Department of Health and Human Services must report on specified information regarding states that provide health benefits to such individuals.
Current Full Text
[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 523 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 523
To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to prohibit Federal
Medicaid funding for the administrative costs of providing health
benefits to individuals who are unauthorized immigrants.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 11, 2025
Mr. Cassidy (for himself, Mr. Barrasso, Mr. Wicker, and Mrs. Hyde-
Smith) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred
to the Committee on Finance
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to prohibit Federal
Medicaid funding for the administrative costs of providing health
benefits to individuals who are unauthorized immigrants.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Protect Medicaid Act''.
SEC. 2. PROHIBITING FEDERAL MEDICAID FUNDING FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE
COSTS OF PROVIDING HEALTH BENEFITS TO INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE
UNAUTHORIZED IMMIGRANTS.
Section 1903(i) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396b(i)) is
amended--
(1) in paragraph (26), by striking ``; or'' and inserting a
semicolon;
(2) in paragraph (27), by striking the period at the end
and inserting ``; or''; and
(3) by inserting after paragraph (27) the following new
paragraph:
``(28) with respect to any amounts expended for the
administration of a State program that provides health benefits
to noncitizens who are ineligible for medical assistance under
this title on the basis of not having a satisfactory
immigration status (as defined in section 1137(d)(1)(B)(iii))
(except that such prohibition shall not be construed as
prohibiting payment under the preceding provisions of this
section for costs attributable to the establishment or
operation of a system designed to ensure compliance with such
prohibition).''.
SEC. 3. INSPECTOR GENERAL REPORT.
Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act,
the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services
shall submit to Congress a report that includes the following
information with respect to States that provide health benefits to
noncitizens who are ineligible on the basis of immigration status for
medical assistance under title XIX of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 1396 et seq.):
(1) How such States separate amounts expended on the
administrative costs related to the State's Medicaid program
and amounts expended on administrative costs related to
providing health benefits to such noncitizens.
(2) The types of procedures, protocols, or systems that
such States employ to ensure that they are in full compliance
with prohibitions on the use of Federal funding to provide
health benefits to such noncitizens and how effective they are
at ensuring compliance.
(3) A description of States' methods of financing State
programs that provide health benefits to noncitizens who are
ineligible for medical assistance due to not having a
satisfactory immigration status, including through the
increased use of provider taxes and intergovernmental transfers
to finance the non-Federal share of expenditures under the
State Medicaid program for medical assistance provided to
individuals who are not so ineligible.
(4) An analysis of--
(A) the extent to which such noncitizens are
provided covered outpatient drugs purchased under--
(i) the Medicaid Drug Rebate Program under
section 1927 of the Social Security Act (42
U.S.C. 1396r-8); or
(ii) the drug discount program under
section 340B of the Public Health Service Act
(42 U.S.C. 256b); and
(B) the effect that the provision to such
noncitizens of covered outpatient drugs purchased under
the programs described in subparagraph (A) has on the
average manufacturer price (as defined in section
1927(k)(1) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396r-
8(k)(1))) of such drugs, including whether the average
manufacturer price for such drugs would be lower if no
drugs purchased under such programs were provided to
such noncitizens.
<all>