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8 LONG TITLE
9 General Description:
10 This bill amends the Medical Assistance Act.
11 Highlighted Provisions:
12 This bill:
13 ▸ defines terms; and
14 ▸ requires the Department of Health to ask for a federal waiver that will allow the
15 state's Medicaid program to provide mental health benefits and services to certain
16 postpartum women.
17 Money Appropriated in this Bill:
18 None
19 Other Special Clauses:
20 None
21 Utah Code Sections Affected:
22 ENACTS:
23 26-18-414, Utah Code Annotated 1953
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25 Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
26 Section 1. Section 26-18-414 is enacted to read:
27 26-18-414. Medicaid waiver for postpartum mental health services.
28 (1) As used in this section:
29 (a) "Federal poverty level" means the poverty guidelines established by the secretary of
30 the United States Department of Health and Human Services under 42 U.S.C. Sec. 9902(2).
31 (b) "Mental health benefits and services" includes the screening for, diagnosis of, and
32 treatment of mental health conditions, including pharmacological and nonpharmacological
33 treatments.
34 (c) "Otherwise ineligible postpartum woman" means a postpartum woman who:
35 (i) has a household income that does not exceed 138% of the federal poverty level; and
36 (ii) except as provided by this section, is ineligible for mental health benefits and
37 services provided by the Medicaid program.
38 (d) "Postpartum period" mean the period of time beginning 61 days after the day on
39 which a woman's pregnancy ends and ending 365 days after the day on which the woman's
40 pregnancy ends.
41 (e) "Postpartum woman" means a woman who is in the postpartum period.
42 (2) No later than June 30, 2017, the department shall ask the secretary of the United
43 States Department of Health and Human Services to grant waivers from federal statutory and
44 regulatory law necessary for the Medicaid program to provide mental health benefits and
45 services to an otherwise ineligible postpartum woman through the entire postpartum period,
46 without need to redetermine eligibility on a monthly basis.
Legislative Review Note
Office of Legislative Research and General Counsel