(3) Families with incomes between 170% and 185% of the nonfarm income official poverty line must pay premiums of 15% of the benefit cost per child, but not more than 15% of the cost for 2 children; and

(4) Families with incomes between above 185% and 200% of the nonfarm income official poverty line must pay premiums of 20% of the benefit cost per child, but not more than 20% of the cost for 2 children.

Sec. 4. Name change for the Medicaid program. Beginning July 1, 2002 the name of the Medicaid program in the State is changed to the "Bear Care program" for the purposes of service delivery and program administration within the State. Beginning October 1, 2001 all materials and information published and disseminated by state departments and agencies that pertain to the Medicaid program for use by the public, including but not limited to the State's publicly accessible site on the Internet, must display the name "Bear Care."

Sec. 5. Report with proposed legislation. By January 15, 2002 the Department of Human Services shall submit a report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature have jurisdiction over health and human services matters proposing legislation to accomplish the name change established in section 4. The joint standing committee shall submit legislation to accomplish the name change by July 1, 2002.

Sec. 6. Amendment to the state Medicaid Plan. By January 15, 2002 the Department of Human Services shall file with the federal Department of Health and Human Services, Health Care Financing Administration all necessary amendments to the state Medicaid plan to change the name of the Medicaid program in the State to the "Bear Care program" for the purposes of service delivery and program administration.

SUMMARY

This bill establishes the Bear Care program in the State by changing the name of the Medicaid program beginning July 1, 2002. It requires materials and information about the Medicaid program for use by the public to display the name "Bear Care" beginning October 1, 2001. By January 15, 2002 it requires the Department of Human Services to submit a report to the Joint Standing Committee on Health and Human Services proposing legislation to accomplish the name change. It directs the Joint

Standing Committee on Health and Human Services to submit legislation to accomplish the name change by July 1, 2002. It requires the Department of Human Services to file with the federal Department of Health and Human Services, Health Care Financing Administration all necessary amendments to the state Medicaid plan to change the name of the Medicaid program in the State to the "Bear Care program" for the purposes of service delivery and program administration by January 15, 2002.

This bill does not alter the designation "Cub Care" for the program providing health care coverage for children under the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 22, section 3174-T. It does increase, however, the income eligibility from 200% to 300% of the federal nonfarm income official poverty line and sets the premiums for coverage for families with incomes above 185% of the nonfarm income official poverty line at 20% of the benefit cost per child, but no higher for a family than the cost for 2 children. This bill increases the income eligibility level for parents of children on the Medicaid program from 150% to 200% of the federal nonfarm income official poverty line.