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[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 9688 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 9688

 To amend titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act to provide for 
continuous eligibility for certain children under the Medicaid program 
              and the Children's Health Insurance Program.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 19, 2024

  Ms. Castor of Florida (for herself and Ms. Caraveo) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                                Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

 
 To amend titles XIX and XXI of the Social Security Act to provide for 
continuous eligibility for certain children under the Medicaid program 
              and the Children's Health Insurance Program.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Keep Kids Covered Act''.

SEC. 2. REQUIRING STATES TO PROVIDE FOR CONTINUOUS ELIGIBILITY FOR 
              CHILDREN UNDER MEDICAID AND CHIP.

    (a) Continuous Eligibility for Deemed Newborns Until Age 6.--
            (1) Medicaid.--Section 1902(e)(4) of the Social Security 
        Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(e)(4)) is amended by striking ``one year'' 
        and inserting ``6 years''.
            (2) CHIP.--Section 2112(e) of the Social Security Act (42 
        U.S.C. 1397ll(e)) is amended by striking ``1 year of age'' and 
        inserting ``6 years of age (except that such a child who is 
        enrolled under the State child health plan or waiver may be 
        transferred to the Medicaid program under title XIX for the 
        remaining duration of the 6-year continuous eligibility period, 
        if the child becomes eligible for full benefits under title XIX 
        during such period)''.
    (b) Continuous Eligibility for Children Under Age 19.--
            (1) Medicaid.--Section 1902(e)(12) of the Social Security 
        Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(e)(12)) is amended--
                    (A) in the paragraph heading, by striking ``1 year 
                of continuous'' and inserting ``Continuous'';
                    (B) in the text preceding subparagraph (A), by 
                inserting ``has attained the age of 6 and'' after ``an 
                individual who'';
                    (C) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``the 12-month 
                period'' and inserting ``the 24-month period'';
                    (D) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) through (C) 
                as clauses (i) through (iii), respectively, and 
                adjusting the margins accordingly; and
                    (E) by striking ``The State plan'' and inserting:
                    ``(A) Children under age 6.--The State plan (or 
                waiver of such State plan) shall provide that an 
                individual who is under the age of 6 and who is 
                determined to be eligible for benefits under a State 
                plan (or waiver of such plan) approved under this title 
                under subsection (a)(10)(A) shall remain eligible for 
                such benefits until the earlier of--
                            ``(i) the time that such individual attains 
                        the age of 6; or
                            ``(ii) the date that such individual ceases 
                        to be a resident of such State.
                    ``(B) Children ages 6 through 18.--The State 
                plan''.
            (2) CHIP.--Section 2107(e)(1)(K) of the Social Security Act 
        (42 U.S.C. 1397gg(e)(1)(K)) is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``1 year of''; and
                    (B) by striking ``12-month'' and inserting 
                ``applicable''.
    (c) Updating Contact Information During Continuous Eligibility 
Period.--
            (1) Medicaid.--Section 1902(a) of the Social Security Act 
        (42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)) is amended--
                    (A) in paragraph (86), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) in paragraph (87), by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by inserting after paragraph (87) the following 
                new paragraph:
            ``(88) provide for a process--
                    ``(A) to obtain, not less frequently than annually, 
                the up-to-date contact information for individuals 
                enrolled under such plan (or a waiver of such plan) who 
                have been so enrolled for a period of longer than 12 
                months pursuant to a continuous eligibility provision 
                under this title; and
                    ``(B) to inform each such individual of their 
                enrollment under such plan (or waiver) pursuant to such 
                continuous eligibility provision and of the remaining 
                duration of the applicable period of continuous 
                eligibility.''.
            (2) CHIP.--Section 2107(e)(1) of the Social Security Act 
        (42 U.S.C. 1397gg(e)(1)) is amended--
                    (A) by redesignating subparagraphs (H) through (U) 
                as subparagraphs (I) through (V), respectively; and
                    (B) by inserting after subparagraph (G) the 
                following new subparagraph:
                    ``(H) Section 1902(a)(88) (relating to the 
                verification of contact information and provision of 
                information regarding enrollment during a period of 
                continuous eligibility).''.
    (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take 
effect on the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of 
this section.
                                 <all>
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