Safeguarding Medicaid Act

This bill significantly expands the application of Medicaid's asset verification program (AVP) and resource eligibility requirements. It mandates that the AVP, previously limited to aged, blind, or disabled individuals, now applies to all applicants for and recipients of medical assistance in all states and territories. States will be required to submit and implement plans for electronic integrated asset verification within one year of the Act's enactment. Furthermore, the legislation introduces a resources eligibility test for all individuals whose income eligibility for Medicaid is determined. This test will preclude eligibility for individuals whose resources exceed the maximum allowed under the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program, or a state-established amount. However, these new resource test requirements will not affect continuous eligibility provisions for pregnant and postpartum women or children under 19. To ensure accountability and track program effectiveness, the bill requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services, through CMS, to establish a federal tracking system for savings generated by the expanded asset verification program. States will also be mandated to submit annual public reports detailing eligibility renewals, asset checks conducted, and the number of eligible applicants. The Secretary is empowered to assess state compliance with these requirements and may necessitate corrective action plans for non-compliant states.