PRINTER'S NO. 551
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
552
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY DOWLING, RYAN, DUNBAR, SAYLOR, GROVE, COX, HILL-
EVANS, STRUZZI, BARRAR, WARNER, BURNS, WALSH AND PUSKARIC,
FEBRUARY 20, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, FEBRUARY 20, 2019
AN ACT
Amending the act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), entitled "An
act to consolidate, editorially revise, and codify the public
welfare laws of the Commonwealth," in public assistance,
providing for work requirements.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of June 13, 1967 (P.L.31, No.21), known
as the Human Services Code, is amended by adding a section to
read:
Section 441.10. Work Requirements.--(a) No later than March
1 of each year, the secretary shall apply to the Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services of the United States Department
of Health and Human Services for a demonstration program under
section 1115 of the Social Security Act (49 Stat. 620, 42 U.S.C.
ยง 1315) for the following purposes:
(1) Instituting a work requirement for a medical assistance
enrollee who is not exempt under paragraph (4). The work
requirement shall require a medical assistance enrollee to
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become employed, actively seek employment as verified by the
department , or attend a job training program in accordance with
the following:
(i) In the case of a medical assistance enrollee who is
employed or attending job training programs in order to maintain
enrollment in the medical assistance program, the medical
assistance enrollee shall work twenty hours a week or complete
twelve job training program-related activities a month.
(ii) A medical assistance enrollee who has failed to comply
with the work requirement under subparagraph (i) shall
relinquish medical assistance program eligibility for the
following time periods:
(A) Three months beginning in year two of enrollment in
medical assistance .
(B) Six months beginning after the time period under clause
(A) expires.
(C) Nine months beginning after the time period under clause
(B) expires.
(2) Requiring an able-bodied medical assistance enrollee who
is nineteen years of age or older to verify on a biannual basis
or by request of the department the medical assistance
enrollee's family income or the medical assistance enrollee's
compliance with the provisions under paragraph (1) for the
purpose of determining the medical assistance enrollee's
eligibility.
(3) Delaying an individual from enrolling in a medical
assistance program if the individual has failed to comply with
paragraphs (1) and (2).
(4) Exempting a medical assistance enrollee from the
requirements under paragraphs (1) and (2) if the medical
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assistance enrollee meets any of the following conditions:
(i) Is attending high school as a full-time student.
(ii) Is currently receiving temporary or permanent long-term
disability benefits.
(iii) Is an individual eighteen years of age or younger or
sixty-five years of age or older.
(iv) Is a pregnant woman.
(v) Receives Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits.
(vi) Resides in a mental health institution or correctional
institution.
(vii) Is experiencing a crisis, serious medical condition or
temporary condition that prevents the Medicaid enrollee from
actively seeking employment, including, but not limited to,
domestic violence or a substance use disorder.
(viii) Is the primary caregiver to a dependent who is six
years of age or younger.
(ix) Is the primary caregiver to an individual who is
permanently disabled or who is in hospice care.
(b) The secretary's application for the demonstration
program under subsection (a) shall align with other assistance
programs that have work requirements in order to reduce the cost
of monitoring the work requirements.
(c) The demonstration program under subsection (a) may
include a medical assistance buy-in component to allow workers
with disabilities to have higher wage earnings and maintain
their medical assistance coverage.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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