Demonstration to improve enrollment in state buy-in to Medicare for low-income Medicare beneficiaries--SSA. Notice, request for comments and solicitation for demonstration participation by states.
Title IV of Division A, Social Security Administration, of the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1999, Public Law 105-277, directs the Commissioner of Social Security to expend $6,000,000 for Federal-State partnerships which will evaluate means to promote the Medicare buy-in programs targeted to elderly and disabled individuals under titles XVIII and XIX of the Social Security Act (the Act). Administration of the Medicare buy-in programs described in titles XVIII and XIX of the Act is the responsibility of the Administrator of the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) in the Department of Health and Human Services. The Commissioner of Social Security is responsible for the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programs described in titles II and XVI of the Act. The Medicare and Medicaid programs are statutorily linked to the programs administered by the Social Security Administration (SSA). Because of this linkage, SSA provides certain Medicare- and Medicaid-related services to HCFA, the States and to SSA's beneficiaries. Among these services are public service information activities about the Medicare and Medicaid programs, categorically needy Medicaid eligibility determinations in most States and referral activities for certain Medicaid benefits in all States. The scope of SSA's involvement in the Medicare and Medicaid programs is defined in the Act and in agreements between SSA and HCFA and between SSA and the States. The demonstration project specified in Public Law 105-227 will assist SSA's low-income disabled beneficiaries and beneficiaries age 65 and over who are or could be eligible for Medicaid benefits to help pay their Medicare costs. SSA intends to work with HCFA to identify and investigate barriers and to foster enrollment of those beneficiaries in the Medicare buy-in programs. SSA is requesting public comment about these plans and soliciting States to express their interest in participating in this demonstration.
D004608:Eligibility Determination; D006077:Government Agencies; D006278:Medicare / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012943:Social Security / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D014481:United States