§ 40-8.6-1. Special pilot program for care of severely disabled elderly residents who need nursing facility services. (a) Purpose. Contingent on appropriation, there is hereby established a special pilot program to be administered by the department of human services to provide payment for nursing facility services and the following ancillary services: pharmacy, physician, laboratory, dental and vision services for certain low income elderly Rhode Island residents who are ineligible for federal and state medical assistance coverage.

(b) Eligibility. To be eligible for payment from the program the individual must be:

(1) Age sixty-five (65) or older;

(2) Legally present in the United States and a resident of the state of Rhode Island;

(3) Determined to meet all eligibility requirements of the federal Medical Assistance Program (Title XIX of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1396 et seq.) but for the citizenship or alienage criteria;

(4) Determined to be ineligible for § 40-8-1 provisions of state-funded medical assistance for aliens; and

(5) Certified by the department of human services to be in need of nursing facility services.

(c) Continuation of coverage. Eligibility shall be reviewed periodically and renewed as long as the individual continues to meet the criteria.

(d) Payment to nursing facility. The department shall make payments to the nursing facility in which an eligible individual is residing in the same amount as the payment for nursing facility services under the medical assistance program.

History of Section. (P.L. 2003, ch. 376, art. 21, § 1; P.L. 2004, ch. 535, § 1; P.L. 2004, ch. 564, § 1.)