HR 453 IH

To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to require criminal background checks on drivers providing Medicaid medical assistance transportation services.

February 6, 2001

Ms. HOOLEY of Oregon (for herself, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mrs. CAPPS, Mr. FROST, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Mr. BONIOR, Mr. DEFAZIO, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. LEVIN, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. GEORGE MILLER of California, Ms. SLAUGHTER, Mr. MCGOVERN, and Mr. RUSH) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to require criminal background checks on drivers providing Medicaid medical assistance transportation services.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. REQUIRING CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS ON DRIVERS PROVIDING MEDICAID MEDICAL ASSISTANCE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES.

(a) IN GENERAL- Section 1903(i) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396b(i)) is amended by inserting after paragraph (11) the following new paragraph:

`(12) with respect to any amount expended for medical transportation services (other than ambulance and similar emergency medical transportation services) provided by an entity under a contract with the State unless there are assurances, satisfactory to the Secretary, that the entity has satisfactory arrangements to assure that--

`(A) any driver providing such services has undergone an appropriate criminal background check with an appropriate State law enforcement authority, which check shall include a matching of name and fingerprints of the driver against the information maintained by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in its National Crime Information Center; and

`(B) any individual who has been identified as having been convicted of any felony involving violence against any individual or any felony relating to the use, distribution, or manufacture of alcohol or drugs is not eligible to provide such services;'.

(b) EFFECTIVE DATE- The amendment made by subsection (a) applies to transportation services furnished on or after the first date of the first month that begins more than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this Act.

END