| Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: |
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| | Sec. 1. 22 MRSA §3174-G, sub-§1-B is enacted to read: |
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| | 1-B.__Elderly prescription drug program.__The department shall | apply to the federal Health Care Financing Administration for a | waiver to provide Medicaid prescription drug benefits to | qualified persons 62 years of age and over whose household income | is less than or equal to 185% of the nonfarm income official | poverty line.__Coverage may not begin before July 1, 1999 and | until the waiver application has been approved.__Coverage must | begin within 90 days of the date that the waiver application is | approved. |
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| | Sec. 2. 36 MRSA §6162-A, sub-§2, as amended by PL 1997, c. 643, Pt. | RR, §6, is repealed and the following enacted in its place: |
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| | 2.__Household income.__An individual is eligible under this | program if the household income, as defined in section 6201, | subsection 7, is less than or equal to 185% of the nonfarm income | official poverty line.__The official poverty line is that | applicable to a household of the size involved, as defined by the | Federal Office of Management and Budget and revised annually in | accordance with the Federal Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of | 1981, Section 673, Subsection 2. |
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| | This bill expands the elderly low-cost drug program to cover | those who meet the age and disability requirements and whose | income is less than or equal to 185% of the federal poverty | level. The current income limitation is approximately 131% of | the federal poverty level. |
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| | This bill directs the Department of Human Services to seek a | Medicaid waiver from the federal Health Care Financing | Administration to provide Medicaid prescription drug benefits for | persons 62 years of age and over whose income is less than or | equal to 185% of the federal poverty level. |
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