Family Access to Medical Insurance Security Plan; coverage for certain children and pregnant women. (SB568)

Introduced By

Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria) with support from co-patron Del. Alfonso Lopez (D-Arlington)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Medical assistance; coverage for certain children and pregnant women.  Provides that the Board of Medical Assistance Services shall include a provision in the state plan for medical assistance services for medical assistance for otherwise eligible pregnant women during the first five years of lawful residence in the United States. The bill also requires the Department of Medical Assistance Services to provide coverage under the Family Access to Medical Insurance Security (FAMIS) Plan for otherwise eligible children and pregnant women during the first five years of lawful residence in the United States. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Passed

History

DateAction
01/17/2012Presented and ordered printed
01/17/2012Presented and ordered printed 12103928D
01/17/2012Referred to Committee on Education and Health
01/19/2012Impact statement from DPB (SB568)
02/02/2012Reported from Education and Health (12-Y 3-N) (see vote tally)
02/02/2012Rereferred to Finance
02/09/2012Reported from Finance with amendment (14-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/13/2012Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/14/2012Read second time
02/14/2012Reading of amendment waived
02/14/2012Committee amendment agreed to
02/14/2012Engrossed by Senate as amended SB568E
02/14/2012Printed as engrossed 12103928D-E
02/14/2012Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/14/2012Passed Senate (36-Y 4-N) (see vote tally)
02/16/2012Placed on Calendar
02/16/2012Read first time
02/16/2012Referred to Committee on Health, Welfare and Institutions
02/22/2012Impact statement from DPB (SB568E)
02/23/2012Reported from Health, Welfare and Institutions with amendment (22-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/23/2012Referred to Committee on Appropriations
02/24/2012Assigned App. sub: Health & Human Resources
02/27/2012Subcommittee recommends reporting (8-Y 0-N)
02/27/2012Reported from Appropriations (22-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/29/2012Read second time
03/01/2012Engrossed by House as amended SB568
03/01/2012Read third time
03/01/2012Committee amendment agreed to
03/01/2012Engrossed by House as amended
03/01/2012Passed House with amendment BLOCK VOTE (99-Y 0-N)
03/01/2012VOTE: BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (99-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
03/05/2012House amendment rejected by Senate (11-Y 28-N) (see vote tally)
03/06/2012House insisted on amendment
03/06/2012House requested conference committee
03/07/2012Senate acceded to request (39-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
03/07/2012Conferees appointed by Senate
03/07/2012Senators: Carrico, Ebbin, McWaters
03/08/2012Conferees appointed by House
03/08/2012Delegates: O'Bannon, Peace, Brink
03/09/2012Conference report agreed to by House (95-Y 0-N)
03/09/2012VOTE: ADOPTION (95-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
03/09/2012Conference report agreed to by Senate (39-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
03/10/2012Enrolled
03/10/2012Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB568ER)
03/10/2012Signed by President
03/10/2012Signed by Speaker
03/16/2012Impact statement from DPB (SB568ER)
04/05/2012G Approved by Governor-Chapter 646 (effective 7/1/12)
04/05/2012G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0646)

Video

This bill was discussed on the floor of the General Assembly. Below is all of the video that we have of that discussion, 3 clips in all, totaling 4 minutes.

Duplicate Bills

The following bills are identical to this one: HB183 and HB782.

Comments

Danielle B writes:

So for the first five years they can get preganant and be helped finacialy with medical assistant? i think this is going to lead to too many people purposly getting pregnant for this reason.. there needs to be more of a restriction.

Marisa V writes:

Are you suggesting that people will purposely get pregnant, a condition that has it's own attendant health risks and leads to financial and emotional commitments for the rest of a person's life, just to get a physical? Because I seriously doubt that will be much of a problem.

And if there are people driven to such desperate measures for medical care, it says more about our healthcare system than it does about this bill.

VACOLAO, tracking this bill in Photosynthesis, notes:

VACOLAO supports this legislation that extends Medicaid eligibility to pregnant immigrant women and their children who have been lawfully present in the United States for less than five years.

Magan writes:

I'm social worker, and yes, I have clients who routinely get pregnant to receive financial assistance. This is very sad, but commonplace, unfortunately.

Allesia Hamilton writes:

But we aren't able to provide free medical care to U.S. citizens now (not that I am for that), and this bill is giving special rights and free medical treatment only to immigrants and only to women and the child? How is that fair? No wonder this bill is dead, the Rep. shouldn't have even bothered introducing it.

Allesia Hamilton writes:

How could this group (VACOLAO - whose site has been quite helpful, thank you) support this? It gives incentive to ONLY immigrant women to just come here and breed more babies, whether they can support them or not.
Although I am against Obama-care, if you are going to go the socialized medicine route, then this bill would not cover men who might be legal long term citizens, or any other citizens other than pregnant immigrants.

Allesia Hamilton writes:

Do the words "Snowballs Chance" mean anything to you?

Melissa writes:

This bill isn't giving incentive or priority to immigrant women to go out and get pregnant, this enabling them to get the healthcare coverage they need and deserve. Read the bill before you go on making assumptions. Medicaid is medical insurance for American citizens who meet the income requirements (are low-income), and was created to cover healthcare for pregnant women, children, and disabled folks. If one has gone about the legal process to become a legal American citizen then they should have every right, just as every other American citizen to receive prenatal and postpartum care. The delivery and labor costs are already be covered if people have Medicaid or FAMIS, and they should have access to prenatal care (for check ups and preventative care), and checkups after the child is born. I realize that many of these comments are xenophobic, and presumptuous, but check your facts these folks may not be "American born" but they are citizens, and should have the same rights as other citizens.