State option to offer premium assistance

(A) In general A State may elect to offer a premium assistance subsidy (as defined in subparagraph (C)) for qualified employer-sponsored coverage (as defined in subparagraph (B)) to all targeted low-income children who are eligible for child health assistance under the plan and have access to such coverage in accordance with the requirements of this paragraph if the offering of such a subsidy is cost-effective, as defined for purposes of paragraph (3)(A). No subsidy shall be provided to a targeted low-income child under this paragraph unless the child (or the child’s parent) voluntarily elects to receive such a subsidy. A State may not require such an election as a condition of receipt of child health assistance.

(B) Qualified employer-sponsored coverage (i) In general Subject to clause (ii), in this paragraph, the term “qualified employer-sponsored coverage” means a group health plan or health insurance coverage offered through an employer— (I) that qualifies as creditable coverage as a group health plan under section 2701(c)(1) of the Public Health Service Act; 3 (II) for which the employer contribution toward any premium for such coverage is at least 40 percent; and (III) 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). (ii) Exception Such term does not include coverage consisting of— (I) benefits provided under a health flexible spending arrangement (as defined in section 106(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986); or (II) 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).

(C) Premium assistance subsidy (i) In general In this paragraph, the term “premium assistance subsidy” means, with respect to a targeted low-income child, the amount equal to the difference between the employee contribution required for enrollment only of the employee under qualified employer-sponsored coverage and the employee contribution required for enrollment of the employee and the child in such coverage, less any applicable premium cost-sharing applied under the State child health plan (subject to the limitations imposed under section 1397cc(e) of this title , including the requirement to count the total amount of the employee contribution required for enrollment of the employee and the child in such coverage toward the annual aggregate cost-sharing limit applied under paragraph (3)(B) of such section). (ii) State payment option A State may provide a premium assistance subsidy either as reimbursement to an employee for out-of-pocket expenditures or, subject to clause (iii), directly to the employee’s employer. (iii) Employer opt-out 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. In the event of such a notification, an employer shall withhold the total amount of the employee contribution required for enrollment of the employee and the child in the qualified employer-sponsored coverage and the State shall pay the premium assistance subsidy directly to the employee. (iv) Treatment as child health assistance Expenditures for the provision of premium assistance subsidies shall be considered child health assistance described in paragraph (1)(C) of subsection (a) for purposes of making payments under that subsection.

(D) Application of secondary payor rules The State shall be a secondary payor for any items or services provided under the qualified employer-sponsored coverage for which the State provides child health assistance under the State child health plan.

(E) Requirement to provide supplemental coverage for benefits and cost-sharing protection provided under the State child health plan (i) In general Notwithstanding section 1397jj(b)(1)(C) of this title , the State shall provide for each targeted low-income child enrolled in qualified employer-sponsored coverage, supplemental coverage consisting of— (I) items or services that are not covered, or are only partially covered, under the qualified employer-sponsored coverage; and (II) cost-sharing protection consistent with section 1397cc(e) of this title . (ii) Record keeping requirements For purposes of carrying out clause (i), a State may elect to directly pay out-of-pocket expenditures for cost-sharing imposed under the qualified employer-sponsored coverage and collect or not collect all or any portion of such expenditures from the parent of the child.

(F) Application of waiting period imposed under the State Any waiting period imposed under the State child health plan prior to the provision of child health assistance to a targeted low-income child under the State plan shall apply to the same extent to the provision of a premium assistance subsidy for the child under this paragraph.

(G) Opt-out permitted for any month A State shall establish a process for permitting the parent of a targeted low-income child receiving a premium assistance subsidy to disenroll the child from the qualified employer-sponsored coverage and enroll the child in, and receive child health assistance under, the State child health plan, effective on the first day of any month for which the child is eligible for such assistance and in a manner that ensures continuity of coverage for the child.

(H) Application to parents If a State provides child health assistance or health benefits coverage to parents of a targeted low-income child in accordance with section 1397kk(b) of this title , the State may elect to offer a premium assistance subsidy to a parent of a targeted low-income child who is eligible for such a subsidy under this paragraph in the same manner as the State offers such a subsidy for the enrollment of the child in qualified employer-sponsored coverage, except that— (i) the amount of the premium assistance subsidy shall be increased to take into account the cost of the enrollment of the parent in the qualified employer-sponsored coverage or, at the option of the State if the State determines it cost-effective, the cost of the enrollment of the child’s family in such coverage; and (ii) any reference in this paragraph to a child is deemed to include a reference to the parent or, if applicable under clause (i), the family of the child.

(I) Additional State option for providing premium assistance (i) In general A State may establish an employer-family premium assistance purchasing pool for employers with less than 250 employees who have at least 1 employee who is a pregnant woman eligible for assistance under the State child health plan (including through the application of an option described in section 1397 ll (f) of this title) or a member of a family with at least 1 targeted low-income child and to provide a premium assistance subsidy under this paragraph for enrollment in coverage made available through such pool. (ii) Access to choice of coverage A State that elects the option under clause (i) shall identify and offer access to not less than 2 private health plans that are health benefits coverage that is equivalent to the benefits coverage in a benchmark benefit package described in section 1397cc(b) of this title or benchmark-equivalent coverage that meets the requirements of section 1397cc(a)(2) of this title for employees described in clause (i). (iii) Clarification of payment for administrative expenditures Nothing in this subparagraph shall be construed as permitting payment under this section for administrative expenditures attributable to the establishment or operation of such pool, except to the extent that such payment would otherwise be permitted under this subchapter.

(J) No effect on premium assistance waiver programs Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as limiting the authority of a State to offer premium assistance under section 1396e or 1396e–1 of this title, a waiver described in paragraph (2)(B) or (3), a waiver approved under section 1315 of this title , or other authority in effect prior to February 4, 2009 .

(K) Notice of availability If a State elects to provide premium assistance subsidies in accordance with this paragraph, the State shall— (i) include on any application or enrollment form for child health assistance a notice of the availability of premium assistance subsidies for the enrollment of targeted low-income children in qualified employer-sponsored coverage; (ii) provide, as part of the application and enrollment process under the State child health plan, information describing the availability of such subsidies and how to elect to obtain such a subsidy; and (iii) establish such other procedures as the State determines necessary to ensure that parents are fully informed of the choices for receiving child health assistance under the State child health plan or through the receipt of premium assistance subsidies.

(L) Application to qualified employer-sponsored benchmark coverage If a group health plan or health insurance coverage offered through an employer is certified by an actuary as health benefits coverage that is equivalent to the benefits coverage in a benchmark benefit package described in section 1397cc(b) of this title or benchmark-equivalent coverage that meets the requirements of section 1397cc(a)(2) of this title , the State may provide premium assistance subsidies for enrollment of targeted low-income children in such group health plan or health insurance coverage in the same manner as such subsidies are provided under this paragraph for enrollment in qualified employer-sponsored coverage, but without regard to the requirement to provide supplemental coverage for benefits and cost-sharing protection provided under the State child health plan under subparagraph (E).

(M) Coordination with medicaid In the case of a targeted low-income child who receives child health assistance through a State plan under subchapter XIX and who voluntarily elects to receive a premium assistance subsidy under this section, the provisions of section 1396e–1 of this title shall apply and shall supersede any other provisions of this paragraph that are inconsistent with such section.