§ 300ff–27 — State Application

(a) The Secretary shall not make a grant to a State under section 300ff–21 of this title for a fiscal year unless the State prepares and submits, to the Secretary, an application at such time, in such form, and containing such agreements, assurances, and information as the Secretary determines to be necessary to carry out section 300ff–21 of this title. (b) The application submitted under subsection (a) shall contain— (1) a detailed description of the HIV-related services provided in the State to individuals and families with HIV/AIDS during the year preceding the year for which the grant is requested, and the number of individuals and families receiving such services, that shall include— (A) a description of the types of programs operated or funded by the State for the provision of HIV-related services during the year preceding the year for which the grant is requested and the methods utilized by the State to finance such programs; (B) an accounting of the amount of funds that the State has expended for such services and programs during the year preceding the year for which the grant is requested; and (C) information concerning— (i) the number of individuals to be served with assistance provided under the grant; (ii) demographic data on the population of the individuals to be served; (iii) the average cost of providing each category of HIV-related health services and the extent to which such cost is paid by third-party payors; and (iv) the aggregate amounts expended for each such category of services; (2) a determination of the size and demographics of the population of individuals with HIV/AIDS in the State; (3) a determination of the needs of such population, with particular attention to— (A) individuals with HIV/AIDS who know their HIV status and are not receiving HIV-related services; and (B) disparities in access and services among affected subpopulations and historically underserved communities; (4) the designation of a lead State agency that shall— (A) administer all assistance received under this part; (B) conduct the needs assessment and prepare the State plan under paragraph (3); (C) prepare all applications for assistance under this part; (D) receive notices with respect to programs under this subchapter; (E) every 2 years, collect and submit to the Secretary all audits, consistent with Office of Management and Budget circular A133, from grantees within the State, including audits regarding funds expended in accordance with this part; and (F) (5) a comprehensive plan that describes the organization and delivery of HIV health care and support services to be funded with assistance received under section 300ff–21 of this title that shall include a description of the purposes for which the State intends to use such assistance, and that— (A) establishes priorities for the allocation of funds within the State based on— (i) size and demographics of the population of individuals with HIV/AIDS (as determined under paragraph (2)) and the needs of such population (as determined under paragraph (3)); (ii) availability of other governmental and non-governmental resources, including the State medicaid plan under title XIX of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq.] and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program under title XXI of such Act [42 U.S.C. 1397aa et seq.] to cover health care costs of eligible individuals and families with HIV/AIDS; (iii) capacity development needs resulting from disparities in the availability of HIV-related services in historically underserved communities and rural communities; and (iv) the efficiency of the administrative mechanism of the State for rapidly allocating funds to the areas of greatest need within the State; (B) includes a strategy for identifying individuals who know their HIV status and are not receiving such services and for informing the individuals of and enabling the individuals to utilize the services, giving particular attention to eliminating disparities in access and services among affected subpopulations and historically underserved communities, and including discrete goals, a timetable, and an appropriate allocation of funds; (C) includes a strategy to coordinate the provision of such services with programs for HIV prevention (including outreach and early intervention) and for the prevention and treatment of substance abuse (including programs that provide comprehensive treatment services for such abuse); (D) describes the services and activities to be provided and an explanation of the manner in which the elements of the program to be implemented by the State with such assistance will maximize the quality of health and support services available to individuals with HIV/AIDS throughout the State; (E) provides a description of the manner in which services funded with assistance provided under section 300ff–21 of this title will be coordinated with other available related services for individuals with HIV/AIDS; (F) provides a description of how the allocation and utilization of resources are consistent with the statewide coordinated statement of need (including traditionally underserved populations and subpopulations) developed in partnership with other grantees in the State that receive funding under this subchapter; and (G) (6) an assurance that the public health agency administering the grant for the State will periodically convene a meeting of individuals with HIV/AIDS, members of a Federally recognized Indian tribe as represented in the State, representatives of grantees under each part under this subchapter, providers, and public agency representatives for the purpose of developing a statewide coordinated statement of need; (7) an assurance by the State that— (A) the public health agency that is administering the grant for the State engages in a public advisory planning process, including public hearings, that includes the participants under paragraph (6), and the types of entities described in section 300ff–12(b)(2) of this title, in developing the comprehensive plan under paragraph (5) and commenting on the implementation of such plan; (B) the State will— (i) to the maximum extent practicable, ensure that HIV-related health care and support services delivered pursuant to a program established with assistance provided under section 300ff–21 of this title will be provided without regard to the ability of the individual to pay for such services and without regard to the current or past health condition of the individual with HIV/AIDS; (ii) ensure that such services will be provided in a setting that is accessible to low-income individuals with HIV/AIDS; (iii) provide outreach to low-income individuals with HIV/AIDS to inform such individuals of the services available under section 300ff–21 of this title; and (iv) in the case of a State that intends to use amounts provided under the grant for purposes described in section 300ff–25 of this title, submit a plan to the Secretary that demonstrates that the State has established a program that assures that— (I) such amounts will be targeted to individuals who would not otherwise be able to afford health insurance coverage; and (II) income, asset, and medical expense criteria will be established and applied by the State to identify those individuals who qualify for assistance under such program, and information concerning such criteria shall be made available to the public; (C) the State will provide for periodic independent peer review to assess the quality and appropriateness of health and support services provided by entities that receive funds from the State under section 300ff–21 of this title; (D) the State will permit and cooperate with any Federal investigations undertaken regarding programs conducted under section 300ff–21 of this title; (E) the State will maintain HIV-related activities at a level that is equal to not less than the level of such expenditures by the State for the 1-year period preceding the fiscal year for which the State is applying to receive a grant under section 300ff–21 of this title; (F) the State will ensure that grant funds are not utilized to make payments for any item or service to the extent that payment has been made, or can reasonably be expected to be made, with respect to that item or service— (i) under any State compensation program, under an insurance policy, or under any Federal or State health benefits program; or (ii) by an entity that provides health services on a prepaid basis (except for a program administered by or providing the services of the Indian Health Service); and (G) 300ff–22(c) and 300ff–52(a) of this title, for the purpose of facilitating early intervention for individuals newly diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and individuals knowledgeable of their HIV status but not in care; and (8) a comprehensive plan— (A) containing an identification of individuals with HIV/AIDS as described in clauses (i) through (iii) of section 300ff–13(b)(2)(A) of this title and the strategy required under section 300ff–12(b)(4)(D)(iv) of this title; (B) describing the estimated number of individuals within the State with HIV/AIDS who do not know their status; (C) describing activities undertaken by the State to find the individuals described in subparagraph (A) and to make such individuals aware of their status; (D) describing the manner in which the State will provide undiagnosed individuals who are made aware of their status with access to medical treatment for their HIV/AIDS; and (E) describing efforts to remove legal barriers, including State laws and regulations, to routine testing. (1) The Secretary may not make a grant under section 300ff–21 of this title to a State unless the State provides assurances that in the provision of services with assistance provided under the grant— (A) in the case of individuals with an income less than or equal to 100 percent of the official poverty line, the provider will not impose charges on any such individual for the provision of services under the grant; (B) in the case of individuals with an income greater than 100 percent of the official poverty line, the provider— (i) will impose charges on each such individual for the provision of such services; and (ii) will impose charges according to a schedule of charges that is made available to the public; (C) in the case of individuals with an income greater than 100 percent of the official poverty line and not exceeding 200 percent of such poverty line, the provider will not, for any calendar year, impose charges in an amount exceeding 5 percent of the annual gross income of the individual involved; (D) in the case of individuals with an income greater than 200 percent of the official poverty line and not exceeding 300 percent of such poverty line, the provider will not, for any calendar year, impose charges in an amount exceeding 7 percent of the annual gross income of the individual involved; and (E) in the case of individuals with an income greater than 300 percent of the official poverty line, the provider will not, for any calendar year, impose charges in an amount exceeding 10 percent of the annual gross income of the individual involved. (2) With respect to compliance with the assurance made under paragraph (1), a grantee under section 300ff–21 of this title may, in the case of individuals subject to a charge for purposes of such paragraph— (A) assess the amount of the charge in the discretion of the grantee, including imposing only a nominal charge for the provision of services, subject to the provisions of such paragraph regarding public schedules regarding limitation on the maximum amount of charges; and (B) take into consideration the medical expenses of individuals in assessing the amount of the charge, subject to such provisions. (3) The Secretary may not make a grant under section 300ff–21 of this title unless the applicant of the grant agrees that the limitations established in subparagraphs (C), (D), and (E) of paragraph (1) regarding the imposition of charges for services applies to the annual aggregate of charges imposed for such services, without regard to whether they are characterized as enrollment fees, premiums, deductibles, cost sharing, copayments, coinsurance, or other charges. (A) The State shall waive the requirements established in paragraphs (1) through (3) in the case of an entity that does not, in providing health care services, impose a charge or accept reimbursement from any third-party payor, including reimbursement under any insurance policy or under any Federal or State health benefits program. (B) A determination by the State of whether an entity referred to in subparagraph (A) meets the criteria for a waiver under such subparagraph shall be made without regard to whether the entity accepts voluntary donations regarding the provision of services to the public. (1) make available (directly or through donations from public or private entities) non-Federal contributions toward such costs in an amount equal to— (A) for the first fiscal year of payments under the grant, not less than 16⅔ percent of such costs ($1 for each $5 of Federal funds provided in the grant); (B) for any second fiscal year of such payments, not less than 20 percent of such costs ($1 for each $4 of Federal funds provided in the grant); (C) for any third fiscal year of such payments, not less than 25 percent of such costs ($1 for each $3 of Federal funds provided in the grant); (D) for any fourth fiscal year of such payments, not less than 33⅓ percent of such costs ($1 for each $2 of Federal funds provided in the grant); and (E) for any subsequent fiscal year of such payments, not less than 33⅓ percent of such costs ($1 for each $2 of Federal funds provided in the grant). (A) Non-Federal contributions required in paragraph (1) may be in cash or in kind, fairly evaluated, including plant, equipment, or services. Amounts provided by the Federal Government, and any portion of any service subsidized by the Federal Government, may not be included in determining the amount of such non-Federal contributions. (i) In making a determination of the amount of non-Federal contributions made by a State for purposes of paragraph (1), the Secretary shall, subject to clause (ii), include any non-Federal contributions provided by the State for HIV-related services, without regard to whether the contributions are made for programs established pursuant to this subchapter; (ii) In making a determination for purposes of clause (i), the Secretary may not include any non-Federal contributions provided by the State as a condition of receiving Federal funds under any program under this subchapter (except for the program established in section 300ff–21 of this title) or under other provisions of law. (A) A State referred to in paragraph (1) is any State for which the number of cases of HIV/AIDS reported to and confirmed by the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for the period described in subparagraph (B) constitutes in excess of 1 percent of the aggregate number of such cases reported to and confirmed by the Director for such period for the United States. (B) The period referred to in subparagraph (A) is the 2-year period preceding the fiscal year for which the State involved is applying to receive a grant under subsection (a). (C) For purposes of paragraph (1), the number of cases of HIV/AIDS reported and confirmed for the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico for any fiscal year shall be deemed to be less than 1 percent. (4) With respect to a State that does not make available the entire amount of the non-Federal contribution referred to in paragraph (1), the State shall continue to be eligible to receive Federal funds under a grant under section 300ff–21 of this title, except that the Secretary in providing Federal funds under the grant shall provide such funds (in accordance with the ratios prescribed in paragraph (1)) only with respect to the amount of funds contributed by such State.