§49-7-204. Medical assistance for children with special needs; rule-making; penalties.

(a) A child with special needs resident in this state who is the subject of an adoption assistance agreement with another state shall be entitled to receive a medical assistance identification from this state upon the filing in the Department of Human Services of a certified copy of the adoption assistance agreement obtained from the adoption assistance state. In accordance with regulations of the Department of Human Services the adoptive parents shall be required at least annually to show that the agreement is still in force or has been renewed.

(b) The Department of Human Services shall consider the holder of a medical assistance identification pursuant to this section as any other holder of a medical assistance identification under the laws of this state and shall process and make payment on claims on account of the holder in the same manner and pursuant to the same conditions and procedures as for other recipients of medical assistance.

(c) The Department of Human Services shall provide coverage and benefits for a child who is in another state and who is covered by an adoption assistance agreement made by the Department of Human Services for the coverage or benefits, if any, not provided by the residence state. To this end, the adoptive parents acting for the child may submit evidence of payment for services or benefit amounts not payable in the residence state and shall be reimbursed therefor. However, there may be no reimbursement for services or benefit amounts covered under any insurance or other third party medical contract or arrangement held by the child or the adoptive parents. The Department of Human Services shall propose rules in accordance with article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code that are necessary to effectuate the requirements and purposes of this section. The additional coverages and benefit amounts provided pursuant to this section shall be for services to the cost of which there is no federal contribution, or which, if federally aided, are not provided by the residence state. Among other things, the regulations shall include procedures to be followed in obtaining prior approvals for services in those instances where required for the assistance.

(d) Any person who submits a claim for payment or reimbursement for services or benefits pursuant to this section or the making of any statement in connection therewith, which claim of statement the maker knows or should know to be false, misleading or fraudulent is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than $10,000, or incarcerated in a correctional facility not more than two years, or both fined and incarcerated.

(e) This section applies only to medical assistance for children under adoption assistance agreements from states that have entered into a compact with this state under which the other state provides medical assistance to children with special needs under adoption assistance agreements made by this state. All other children entitled to medical assistance pursuant to adoption assistance agreements entered into by this state shall be eligible to receive it in accordance with the laws and procedures applicable thereto.