II 

117TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 709 

To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to ensure health insurance 

coverage continuity for former foster youth. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MARCH 11, 2021 

Mr. CASEY introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 

to the Committee on Finance 

A BILL 

To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to ensure 

health insurance coverage continuity for former foster youth. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Expanded Coverage 

5 for Former Foster Youth Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. COVERAGE CONTINUITY FOR FORMER FOSTER 

7 CARE CHILDREN UP TO AGE 26. 

8 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1902(a)(10)(A)(i)(IX) of 

9 the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 

10 1396a(a)(10)(A)(i)(IX)) is amended to read as follows: 


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1 ‘‘(IX) who— 

2 ‘‘(aa) are under 26 years of 

3 age; 

4 ‘‘(bb) are not described in 

5 and are not enrolled under any of 

6 subclauses (I) through (VII) of 

7 this clause or are described in 

8 any of such subclauses but have 

9 income that exceeds the level of 

10 income applicable under the 

11 State plan for eligibility to enroll 

12 for medical assistance under such 

13 subclause; and 

14 ‘‘(cc) were in foster care 

15 under the responsibility of a 

16 State on the date of attaining 18 

17 years of age (or such higher age 

18 as such State has elected under 

19 section 475(8)(B)(iii)), or were in 

20 such care at any age but subse21 quently left such care to enter 

22 into a legal guardianship with a 

23 kinship caregiver (without regard 

24 to whether kinship guardianship 

25 payments are being made on beVerDate Sep 11 2014 00:33 Apr 03, 2021 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S709.IS S709

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1 half of the child under this part), 

2 or were emancipated from such 

3 care prior to attaining age 18;’’. 

4 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 

5 subsection (a) shall take effect on January 1, 2023, and 

6 shall apply with respect to individuals who attain 18 years 

7 of age on or after that date. 

8 (c) REPEAL.—Subsection (a) of section 1002 of the 

9 SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (Public 

10 Law 115–271) is repealed. 

11 SEC. 3. OUTREACH EFFORTS FOR ENROLLMENT OF 

12 FORMER FOSTER CHILDREN. 

13 Section 1902(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 

14 1396a(a)) is amended— 

15 (1) in paragraph (85), by striking ‘‘; and’’ and 

16 inserting a semicolon; 

17 (2) in paragraph (86), by striking the period at 

18 the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

19 (3) by inserting after paragraph (86) the fol20 lowing new paragraph: 

21 ‘‘(87) not later than January 1, 2022, establish 

22 an outreach and enrollment program, in coordination 

23 with the State agency responsible for administering 

24 the State plan under part E of title IV and any 

25 other appropriate or interested agencies, designed to 


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1 increase the enrollment of individuals who are eligi2 ble for medical assistance under the State plan 

3 under paragraph (10)(A)(i)(IX) in accordance with 

4 best practices established by the Secretary.’’. 

Æ 


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