Optional coverage of targeted low-income pregnant women through a State plan amendment

Subject to the succeeding provisions of this section, a State may elect through an amendment to its State child health plan under section 1397bb of this title to provide pregnancy-related assistance under such plan for targeted low-income pregnant women. A State may only elect the option under subsection (a) if the following conditions are satisfied: The State has established an income eligibility level— The State does not apply an effective income level for pregnant women under the State plan amendment that is lower than the effective income level (expressed as a percent of the poverty line and considering applicable income disregards) specified under subsection (a)(10)(A)(i)(III), (a)(10)(A)(i)(IV), or (l)(1)(A) of section 1396a of this title, on February 4, 2009, to be eligible for medical assistance as a pregnant woman. The State does not provide coverage for pregnant women with higher family income without covering pregnant women with a lower family income. The State provides pregnancy-related assistance for targeted low-income pregnant women in the same manner, and subject to the same requirements under section 1397cc(c) of this title, as the State provides child health assistance for targeted low-income children under the State child health plan, and in addition to providing child health assistance for such women. The State does not apply any exclusion of benefits for pregnancy-related assistance based on any preexisting condition or any waiting period (including any waiting period imposed to carry out section 1397bb(b)(3)(C) of this title) for receipt of such assistance. The State provides pregnancy-related assistance to a targeted low-income woman consistent with the cost-sharing protections under section 1397cc(e) of this title and applies the limitation on total annual aggregate cost sharing imposed under paragraph (3)(B) of such section to the family of such a woman. The State does not impose, with respect to the enrollment under the State child health plan of targeted low-income children during the quarter, any enrollment cap or other numerical limitation on enrollment, any waiting list, any procedures designed to delay the consideration of applications for enrollment, or similar limitation with respect to enrollment. A State that elects the option under subsection (a) and satisfies the conditions described in subsection (b) may elect to apply section 1396r–1 of this title (relating to presumptive eligibility for pregnant women) to the State child health plan in the same manner as such section applies to the State plan under subchapter XIX. For purposes of this section: The term “pregnancy-related assistance” has the meaning given the term “child health assistance” in section 1397jj(a) of this title with respect to an individual during the period described in paragraph (2)(A). The term “targeted low-income pregnant woman” means an individual— If a child is born to a targeted low-income pregnant woman who was receiving pregnancy-related assistance under this section on the date of the child’s birth, the child shall be deemed to have applied for child health assistance under the State child health plan and to have been found eligible for such assistance under such plan or to have applied for medical assistance under subchapter XIX and to have been found eligible for such assistance under such subchapter, as appropriate, on the date of such birth and to remain eligible for such assistance until the child attains 1 year of age. During the period in which a child is deemed under the preceding sentence to be eligible for child health or medical assistance, the child health or medical assistance eligibility identification number of the mother shall also serve as the identification number of the child, and all claims shall be submitted and paid under such number (unless the State issues a separate identification number for the child before such period expires). The option to provide assistance in accordance with the preceding subsections of this section shall not limit any other option for a State to provide— Any State that provides child health assistance under any authority described in paragraph (1) may continue to provide such assistance, as well as postpartum services, through the end of the month in which the 60-day period (beginning on the last day of the pregnancy) ends, in the same manner as such assistance and postpartum services would be provided if provided under the State plan under subchapter XIX, but only if the mother would otherwise satisfy the eligibility requirements that apply under the State child health plan (other than with respect to age) during such period. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed—