422.106—Coordination of benefits with employer or union group health plans and Medicaid.

(a) General rule. If an MA organization contracts with an employer, labor organization, or the trustees of a fund established by one or more employers or labor organizations that cover enrollees in an MA plan, or contracts with a State Medicaid agency to provide Medicaid benefits to individuals who are eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, and who are enrolled in an MA plan, the enrollees must be provided the same benefits as all other enrollees in the MA plan, with the employer, labor organization, fund trustees, or Medicaid benefits supplementing the MA plan benefits. Jurisdiction regulating benefits under these circumstances is as follows:

(1) All requirements of this part that apply to the MA program apply to the MA plan coverage and benefits provided to enrollees eligible for benefits under an employer, labor organization, trustees of a fund established by one or more employers or labor organizations, or Medicaid contract.

(2) Employer benefits that complement an MA plan, which are not part of the MA plan, are not subject to review or approval by CMS.

(3) Medicaid benefits are not reviewed under this part, but are subject to appropriate CMS review under the Medicaid program. MA plan benefits provided to individuals entitled to Medicaid benefits provided by the MA organization under a contract with the State Medicaid agency are subject to MA rules and requirements.

(b) Examples. Permissible employer, labor organization, benefit fund trustee, or Medicaid plan benefits include the following:

(1) Payment of a portion or all of the MA basic and supplemental premiums.

(2) Payment of a portion or all of other cost-sharing amounts approved for the MA plan.

(3) Other employer-sponsored benefits that may require additional premium and cost-sharing, or other benefits provided by the organization under a contract with the State Medicaid agency.

(c) Waiver or modification of contracts with MA organizations. (1) MA organizations may request, in writing, from CMS, a waiver or modification of those requirements in this part that hinder the design of, the offering of, or the enrollment in, MA plans under contracts between MA organizations and employers, labor organizations, or the trustees of funds established by one or more employers or labor organizations to furnish benefits to the entity's employees, former employees, or members or former members of the labor organizations.

(2) Approved waivers or modifications under this paragraph granted to any MA organization may be used by any other similarly situated MA organization in developing its bid.

(d) Employer sponsored MA plans for plan years beginning on or after January 1, 2006. (1) CMS may waive or modify any requirement in this part or Part D that hinders the design of, the offering of, or the enrollment in, an MA plan (including an MA-PD plan) offered by one or more employers, labor organizations, or the trustees of a fund established by one or more employers or labor organizations (or combination thereof), or that is offered, sponsored or administered by an entity on behalf of one or more employers or labor organizations, to furnish benefits to the employers' employees, former employees (or combination thereof) or members or former members (or combination thereof) of the labor organizations. Any entity seeking to offer, sponsor, or administer such an MA plan described in this paragraph may request, in writing, from CMS, a waiver or modification of requirements in this part that hinder the design of, the offering of, or the enrollment in, such MA plan.

(2) An MA plan described in this paragraph may restrict the enrollment of individuals in that plan to individuals who are beneficiaries and participants in that plan.

(3) Approved waivers or modifications under this paragraph granted to any MA plan may be used by any other similarly situated MA plan in developing its bid.

[65 FR 40320, June 29, 2000, as amended at 68 FR 50856, Aug. 22, 2003; 70 FR 4721, Jan. 28, 2005]

CFR

422.106—Coordination of benefits with employer or union group health plans and Medicaid.