By Mr. Spellane of Worcester, petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 1169) of Robert P. Spellane and Joyce A. Spiliotis for legislation to expand access to managed care for beneficiaries of MassHealth.  Health Care Financing.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PETITION OF:

Robert P. Spellane

Joyce A. Spiliotis

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In the Year Two Thousand and Seven.

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An Act relating to expanded access to managed care for MassHealth beneficiaries.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

CHAPTER 118E of the General Laws is hereby amended by the addition of a new Section 53 as follows:

Section 1.  As used in this chapter the following terms and phrases shall have the following meanings:

“MassHealth Essential”, a MassHealth program for the long-term unemployed and for disabled long-term unemployed aliens with special status who have income at or below 100 percent of the Federal Poverty Level and are not eligible for MassHealth Basic; provided that persons meet the eligibility requirements established in section 9A of chapter 118E of the General Laws; provided further that persons eligible under subsection (7) of section 16D of chapter 118E shall also be eligible to receive benefits as part of this program.

Section 2.  The Executive Office of Health and Human Services shall make provisions to allow those persons enrolled in the MassHealth Essential program and meeting the eligibility requirements established under the MassHealth program to be eligible to enroll in Medicaid managed care organizations in accordance with the enrollment and assignment processes for other eligible categories and at the appropriate levels of premium.