(a) Basis and purpose. (1) Section 1843(a) of the Act requires the Secretary to have entered into an agreement with any State that requested that agreement before January 1, 1970, or during calendar year 1981, under which the State could enroll certain Medicare-eligible beneficiaries under Medicare Part B and agree to pay their premiums.

(2) Section 1902(a)(10) of the Act (in clause (II) following subparagraph (D)), allows the State to pay the premium, deductibles, cost sharing, and other charges for beneficiaries enrolled under Medicare Part B without obligating itself to provide the range of Part B benefits to other beneficiaries; and

(3) Section 1903 (a)(1) and (b) of the Act authorizes FFP for State payment of Medicare Part B premiums for certain beneficiaries.

(4) This section—

(i) Specifies the exception, relating to Part B coverage, from the requirement to provide comparable services to all beneficiaries; and

(ii) Prescribes FFP rules concerning State payment for Medicare premiums and for services that could have been covered under Medicare.

(5) Section 1902(a)(15) of the Act requires that if a State chooses to pay only a portion of deductibles, cost sharing or other charges for beneficiaries enrolled under Medicare Part B, the portion that is to be paid by a Medicaid beneficiary must be reasonably related to the beneficiary's income and resources.

(b) Exception from obligation to provide comparable services; State plan requirement. (1) The State's payment of premiums, deductibles, cost sharing, or similar charges under Part B does not obligate it to provide the full range of Part B services to beneficiaries not covered by Medicare.

(2) The State plan must specify this exception if it applies.

(c) Effect of payment of premiums on State liability for cost sharing. (1) State payment of Part B premiums on behalf of a Medicaid beneficiary does not obligate it to pay on the beneficiary's behalf the Part B deductible and coinsurance amounts for those Medicare Part B services not covered in the Medicaid State plan.

(2) If a State pays on a beneficiary's behalf any portion of the deductible or cost sharing amounts under Medicare Part B, the portion paid by a State must be reasonably related to the beneficiary's income and resources.

(d) Federal financial participation: Medicare Part B premiums—(1) Basic rule. Except as provided in paragraph (d)(2) of this section, FFP is not available in State expenditures for Medicare Part B premiums for Medicaid beneficiaries unless the beneficiaries receive money payments under title I, X, XIV, XVI (AABD or SSI) of the Act, or State supplements as permitted under section 1616(a) of the Act, or as required by section 212 of Pub. L. 93-66.

(2) Exception. FFP is available in expenditures for Medicare Part B premiums for the following groups:

(i) Beneficiaries required to be covered under §§ 435.134, and 436.112 of this subchapter, those eligible for continued Medicaid coverage despite increased income from monthly insurance benefits under title II of the Act;

(ii) Beneficiaries required to be covered under § 435.135 of this subchapter, those eligible for continued Medicaid coverage despite increased income from cost-of-living increases under title II of the Act;

(iii) Beneficiaries whom States must consider to be recipients of AFDC, including those who receive adoption assistance, foster care or guardianship care, under part E of title IV of the Act, in accordance with §§ 435.145 and 436.114(e) of this subchapter, or who receive Medicaid coverage for low income families, in accordance with section 1931(b) of the Act.

(iv) Individuals required to be covered under § 435.120 of this subchapter, that is, blind or disabled individuals who, under section 1619(b) of the Act, are considered to be receiving SSI;

(v) Certain beneficiaries of Veterans Administration pensions during the limited time they are, under section 310(b) of Pub. L. 96-272, considered as receiving SSI, mandatory State supplements, or AFDC;

(vi) Disabled children living at home to whom the State provides Medicaid under § 435.225 of this subchapter.

(vii) Beneficiaries required to be covered under §§ 435.115 and 436.114(f) and (h) of this subchapter, that is, those who remain eligible for 4 months of temporary Medicaid coverage because of the increased collection of spousal support under part D of title IV of the Act.

(viii) Individuals required to be covered under the QMB, SLMB, and QI eligibility groups, each separately defined in §§ 435.123 through 435.125 of this subchapter.

(ix) Adult children with disabilities, as described in 1634(c) of the Act.

(3) No FFP is available in State Medicaid expenditures that could have been paid for under Medicare Part B but were not because the person was not enrolled in Part B. This limit applies to all beneficiaries eligible for enrollment under Part B, whether individually or through an agreement under section 1843(a) of the Act. However, FFP is available in expenditures required by §§ 435.914 and 436.901 of this subchapter for retroactive coverage of beneficiaries.