Bill > S523

This bill, known as the "Protect Medicaid Act," aims to prevent federal Medicaid funding from being used to cover administrative costs associated with providing health benefits to unauthorized immigrants. Specifically, the bill amends Section 1903(i) of the Social Security Act to prohibit federal reimbursement for administrative expenses related to state programs that provide health benefits to non-citizens who do not have a satisfactory immigration status. The bill includes an important caveat that this prohibition does not prevent funding for systems designed to ensure compliance with the restriction. Additionally, the bill mandates that the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services submit a comprehensive report to Congress within 180 days of the act's enactment. This report must detail how states manage administrative costs for Medicaid programs serving unauthorized immigrants, examine their compliance procedures, analyze state financing methods for such programs, and investigate the impact of providing outpatient drugs to these non-citizens on drug pricing and manufacturer prices. The bill represents an effort to more strictly control federal Medicaid spending with respect to healthcare services for individuals without legal immigration status.

Budget and Finance

https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-bill/523/all-info