I 

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. 

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 ‘‘Keep Kids Covered 

5 Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. REQUIRING STATES TO PROVIDE FOR CONTINUOUS 

2 ELIGIBILITY FOR CHILDREN UNDER MED3 ICAID AND CHIP. 

4 (a) CONTINUOUS ELIGIBILITY FOR DEEMED

5 NEWBORNS UNTIL AGE 6.— 

6 (1) MEDICAID.—Section 1902(e)(4) of the So7 cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(e)(4)) is amend8 ed by striking ‘‘one year’’ and inserting ‘‘6 years’’. 

9 (2) CHIP.—Section 2112(e) of the Social Secu10 rity Act (42 U.S.C. 1397ll(e)) is amended by strik11 ing ‘‘1 year of age’’ and inserting ‘‘6 years of age 

12 (except that such a child who is enrolled under the 

13 State child health plan or waiver may be transferred 

14 to the Medicaid program under title XIX for the re15 maining duration of the 6-year continuous eligibility 

16 period, if the child becomes eligible for full benefits 

17 under title XIX during such period)’’. 

18 (b) CONTINUOUS ELIGIBILITY FOR CHILDREN

19 UNDER AGE 19.— 

20 (1) MEDICAID.—Section 1902(e)(12) of the So21 cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(e)(12)) is 

22 amended— 

23 (A) in the paragraph heading, by striking 

24 ‘‘1 YEAR OF CONTINUOUS’’ and inserting ‘‘CON25 TINUOUS’’; 


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1 (B) in the text preceding subparagraph 

2 (A), by inserting ‘‘has attained the age of 6 

3 and’’ after ‘‘an individual who’’; 

4 (C) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘the 

5 12-month period’’ and inserting ‘‘the 24-month 

6 period’’; 

7 (D) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) 

8 through (C) as clauses (i) through (iii), respec9 tively, and adjusting the margins accordingly; 

10 and 

11 (E) by striking ‘‘The State plan’’ and in12 serting: 

13 ‘‘(A) CHILDREN UNDER AGE 6.—The State 

14 plan (or waiver of such State plan) shall pro15 vide that an individual who is under the age of 

16 6 and who is determined to be eligible for bene17 fits under a State plan (or waiver of such plan) 

18 approved under this title under subsection 

19 (a)(10)(A) shall remain eligible for such bene20 fits until the earlier of— 

21 ‘‘(i) the time that such individual at22 tains the age of 6; or 

23 ‘‘(ii) the date that such individual 

24 ceases to be a resident of such State. 


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1 ‘‘(B) CHILDREN AGES 6 THROUGH 18.— 

2 The State plan’’. 

3 (2) CHIP.—Section 2107(e)(1)(K) of the So4 cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397gg(e)(1)(K)) is 

5 amended— 

6 (A) by striking ‘‘1 year of’’; and 

7 (B) by striking ‘‘12-month’’ and inserting 

8 ‘‘applicable’’. 

9 (c) UPDATING CONTACT INFORMATION DURING

10 CONTINUOUS ELIGIBILITY PERIOD.— 

11 (1) MEDICAID.—Section 1902(a) of the Social 

12 Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)) is amended— 

13 (A) in paragraph (86), by striking ‘‘and’’ 

14 at the end; 

15 (B) in paragraph (87), by striking the pe16 riod at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

17 (C) by inserting after paragraph (87) the 

18 following new paragraph: 

19 ‘‘(88) provide for a process— 

20 ‘‘(A) to obtain, not less frequently than an21 nually, the up-to-date contact information for 

22 individuals enrolled under such plan (or a waiv23 er of such plan) who have been so enrolled for 

24 a period of longer than 12 months pursuant to 


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1 a continuous eligibility provision under this 

2 title; and 

3 ‘‘(B) to inform each such individual of 

4 their enrollment under such plan (or waiver) 

5 pursuant to such continuous eligibility provision 

6 and of the remaining duration of the applicable 

7 period of continuous eligibility.’’. 

8 (2) CHIP.—Section 2107(e)(1) of the Social 

9 Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397gg(e)(1)) is amended— 

10 (A) by redesignating subparagraphs (H) 

11 through (U) as subparagraphs (I) through (V), 

12 respectively; and 

13 (B) by inserting after subparagraph (G) 

14 the following new subparagraph: 

15 ‘‘(H) Section 1902(a)(88) (relating to the 

16 verification of contact information and provision 

17 of information regarding enrollment during a 

18 period of continuous eligibility).’’. 

19 (d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 

20 this section shall take effect on the date that is 1 year 

21 after the date of the enactment of this section. 

Æ 


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