By Jocelyn Guyer

This brief provides a comparison of federal Medicaid rules governing premiums and cost-sharing in effect as of November 2005 with those proposed in the fiscal year 2006 House of Representatives budget bill passed on November 15, 2005. The House bill gives states new flexibility to vary premium and cost-sharing charges by group and deny care for non-payment. In addition, the bill includes numerous population-specific changes that directly affect children, pregnant women, parents, seniors, and individuals with disabilities.

President Bush signed into law a final fiscal year 2006 budget in February 2006. See a summary of the Medicaid provisions.