Notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, the Secretary shall establish a demonstration program under which States may provide under their State plans under this subchapter (including such a plan operating under a statewide waiver under section 1315 of this title) in accordance with this section for the provision of alternative benefits consistent with subsection (c) for eligible population groups in one or more geographic areas of the State specified by the State. An amendment under the previous sentence is referred to in this section as a “State demonstration program”.
Not later than 3 months after the end of the 5-year period described in subparagraph (A), the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit a report to Congress evaluating the demonstration programs conducted under this section during such period.
Out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, there is appropriated to the Comptroller General of the United States, $550,000 for the period of fiscal years 2007 through 2010 to carry out clause (i).
Nothing in this section or any other provision of law shall be construed to require that a State must provide for the implementation of a State demonstration program on a Statewide [1] basis.
A State demonstration program under this section shall specify the eligible population groups consistent with paragraphs (2) and (3).
A State demonstration program shall not apply to any individual within a category of individuals described in section 1396u–7(a)(2)(B) of this title.
This subsection shall not be construed as preventing a State from further limiting eligibility.
An eligible individual shall be enrolled in a State demonstration program only if the individual voluntarily enrolls. Except in such hardship cases as the Secretary shall specify, such an enrollment shall be effective for a period of 12 months, but may be extended for additional periods of 12 months each with the consent of the individual.
An eligible individual who, for any reason, is disenrolled from a State demonstration program conducted under this section shall not be permitted to reenroll in such program before the end of the 1-year period that begins on the effective date of such disenrollment.
The amount of the annual deductible described in paragraph (1)(A) shall be at least 100 percent, but no more than 110 percent, of the annualized amount of contributions to the health opportunity account under subsection (d)(2)(A)(i), determined without regard to any limitation described in subsection (d)(2)(C)(i)(II).
In the case of an individual who is participating in a State demonstration program and is enrolled with a Medicaid managed care organization, the State shall enter into an arrangement with the organization under which the individual may obtain demonstration program Medicaid services from any provider described in clause (ii) of subparagraph (A) at payment rates that do not exceed the payment rates that may be imposed under that clause.
Except as provided under paragraphs (1) and (2), alternative benefits for an eligible individual shall consist of the benefits otherwise provided to the individual, including cost sharing relating to such benefits.
The provisions of this subchapter relating to cost sharing for benefits (including sections 1396o and 1396o–1 of this title) shall not apply with respect to benefits to which the annual deductible under paragraph (1)(A) applies. The provisions of section 1396a(a)(10)(B) of this title (relating to comparability) shall not apply with respect to the provision of alternative benefits (as described in this subsection).
Subject to subparagraphs (D) and (E) of subsection (d)(2), payments for alternative benefits under this section (including contributions into a health opportunity account) shall be treated as medical assistance for purposes of section 1396b(a) of this title.
For purposes of subparagraph (A)(ii), the term “maximum out-of-pocket cost sharing” means, for an individual or family, the amount by which the annual deductible level applied under paragraph (1)(A) to the individual or family exceeds the balance in the health opportunity account for the individual or family.
For purposes of this section, the term “health opportunity account” means an account that meets the requirements of this subsection.
A State shall specify the contribution amount that shall be deposited under subparagraph (A)(i) into a health opportunity account.
For each year after 2006, the dollar amounts specified in clause (i)(III) shall be annually increased by the Secretary by a percentage that reflects the annual percentage increase in the medical care component of the consumer price index for all urban consumers.
A State may provide for dollar limitations in excess of those specified in clause (i)(III) (as increased under clause (ii)) for specified individuals if the State provides assurances satisfactory to the Secretary that contributions otherwise made to other individuals will be reduced in a manner so as to provide for aggregate contributions that do not exceed the aggregate contributions that would otherwise be permitted under this subparagraph.
A State may contribute under subparagraph (A)(i) amounts to a health opportunity account in excess of the limitations provided under subparagraph (C)(i)(III), but no Federal financial participation shall be provided under section 1396b(a) of this title with respect to contributions in excess of such limitations.
No Federal financial participation shall be provided under section 1396b(a) of this title with respect to any contributions described in subparagraph (A)(ii) to a health opportunity account.
The Secretary shall provide a method under which, for expenditures made from a health opportunity account for medical care for which the Federal matching rate under section 1396b(a) of this title exceeds the Federal medical assistance percentage, a State may obtain payment under such section at such higher matching rate for such expenditures.
Subject to the succeeding provisions of this paragraph, amounts in a health opportunity account may be used for payment of such health care expenditures as the State specifies.
Subject to subparagraph (B)(ii), in no case shall such account be used for payment for health care expenditures that are not payment of medical care (as defined by section 213(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986).
Clause (i)(II) shall not apply to the portion of the account that is attributable to contributions described in paragraph (2)(A)(ii). For purposes of accounting for such contributions, withdrawals from a health opportunity account shall first be attributed to contributions described in paragraph (2)(A)(i).
No withdrawal may be made from an account under clause (ii)(II) unless the account holder has participated in the program under this section for at least 1 year.
An account holder of a health opportunity account, after becoming ineligible for medical assistance under this subchapter, is not required to purchase high-deductible or other insurance as a condition of maintaining or using the account.
A State may coordinate administration of health opportunity accounts through the use of a third party administrator and reasonable expenditures for the use of such administrator shall be reimbursable to the State in the same manner as other administrative expenditures under section 1396b(a)(7) of this title.
Amounts in, or contributed to, a health opportunity account shall not be counted as income or assets for purposes of determining eligibility for benefits under this subchapter.