SECTION 227.
(a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the office of Medicaid shall suspend MassHealth benefits for inmates of penal institutions, including those awaiting trial and during incarceration, as defined in 130 CMR 501.001. MassHealth benefits shall be reactivated or provided to an inmate if: (i) an inmate is otherwise eligible for MassHealth; and (ii) is admitted as an inpatient, as defined in 42 CFR 435.1010, to a hospital or other eligible institution. If an inmate, upon incarceration, is determined to be eligible for MassHealth but is currently not a member of MassHealth, the office of Medicaid shall enroll the inmate in MassHealth and immediately suspend benefits until the inmate is eligible to receive MassHealth benefits. An inmate's MassHealth benefits shall be immediately reactivated upon release from incarceration. The office of Medicaid shall implement this section subject to all required federal approvals.
(b) The director of Medicaid shall submit a plan to implement this section to the house and senate chairs of the committees on ways and means and the chairs of the joint committee on health care financing not later than December 31, 2014. The implementation plan shall include, but not be limited to: (i) progress and status updates of any state plan amendment or other necessary federal approval; (ii) details on collaboration with the department of correction and sheriffs; and (iii) a proposed timeline for full implementation of this section.
(c) Not later than March 1 of each year, up to and including March 1, 2017, the office of Medicaid shall provide a status report to the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate who shall forward the report to the house and senate chairs of the committees on ways and means. The report shall identify: (i) the number of inmates enrolled in MassHealth prior to incarceration and the number of inmates enrolled in MassHealth while incarcerated and whether the inmate is in a house of correction or state prison; (ii) the number of inmates that had their MassHealth benefits reactivated; (iii) the period of time that each inmate received benefits through their reactivated MassHealth benefits; and (iv) the cost to MassHealth for those benefits and any federal financial participation received.