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1 1 (March 8, 2006)

handle is hein.crs/crsaitn0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Order Code RS22035 Updated March 8, 2006 CRS Report for Congress Received through the CRS Web Coverage of the TANF Population Under Medicaid and SCHIP Elicia J. Herz Specialist in Social Legislation Domestic Social Policy Division Summary Health insurance is an important support for individuals receiving, leaving or diverted from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) welfare or cash assistance program for low-income families. Medicaid and SCHIP (State Children's Health Insurance Program) are key vehicles for providing such coverage. While there is no formal link between TANF and either Medicaid or SCHIP, some TANF-eligibles, especially children, are likely to qualify for one of these programs. But state eligibility rules can be complex and often differ for parents versus children, leaving some parents, in particular, without coverage. Finally, six to 12 months of transitional medical assistance (TMA) for families losing Medicaid coverage for work-related reasons expired on December 31, 2005, but was reinstated retroactively to this date, and extended through 2006 under the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (P.L. 109-17 1). Background Medicaid provided access to medical services for approximately 55.4 million people in FY2003 (the latest official enrollment figure). To qualify, applicants' income and resources (also called assets) must be within program financial standards. These standards vary considerably among states, and different standards apply to different population groups within a state. Medicaid eligibility is also subject to categorical restrictions - generally, it is available only to low-income persons who are aged, blind, disabled, members of families with dependent children, and certain other pregnant women and children. The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program provided cash assistance to 2.2 million families in FY2003. TANF is structured as a flexible block grant to states, and it was the centerpiece of the 1996 welfare reform law, replacing previous entitlements to cash assistance. Under TANF, eligibility thresholds and benefit levels are established by states, but federal law imposes work requirements and time limits on benefits. Congressional Research Service + The Library of Congress

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