(a) Aliens shall be eligible for medical assistance, including participation in the TennCare program, only to the same extent as permitted under federal law and regulations for receipt of federal financial participation under Title XIX of the federal Social Security Act, except as otherwise provided in this section.
Terms Used In Tennessee Code 71-5-141
Medical assistance: means payment of the cost of care, services and supplies necessary to prevent, diagnose, correct or cure conditions in the person that cause acute suffering, endanger life, result in illness or infirmity, interfere with the person's capacity for normal activity, or threaten some significant handicap and that are furnished an eligible person in accordance with this part and the rules and regulations of the department. See Tennessee Code 71-5-103
Title XIX: means Title XIX of the Social Security Act as amended (P. See Tennessee Code 71-5-103
United States: includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(b) In accordance with Section 1903(v)(1) of the federal Social Security Act, an alien shall only be eligible for the full scope of medical assistance benefits, if the alien has been lawfully admitted for permanent residence, or is otherwise permanently residing in the United States under color of law.(c) For purposes of this section, aliens “permanently residing in the United States under color of law” shall be interpreted to include all aliens residing in the United States with the knowledge and permission of the United States immigration and naturalization service and whose departure the United States immigration and naturalization service does not contemplate enforcing and with respect to whom federal financial participation is available under Title XIX of the federal Social Security Act.
