I 
116TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. R. 6616 
To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow States to provide 
coverage under the Medicaid program for vaccines and treatment for 
COVID–19 for uninsured individuals without the imposition of cost shar-
ing requirements, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 24, 2020 
Mr. CA´RDENAS (for himself and Ms. SA´NCHEZ) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce 
A BILL 
To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow 
States to provide coverage under the Medicaid program 
for vaccines and treatment for COVID–19 for uninsured 
individuals without the imposition of cost sharing re-
quirements, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Stronger Medicaid Re-
sponse to the COVID–19 Pandemic Act’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:50 Apr 27, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6616.IH
H6616
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
SEC. 2. OPTIONAL COVERAGE AT NO COST SHARING OF 
COVID–19 TREATMENT AND VACCINES UNDER 
MEDICAID FOR UNINSURED INDIVIDUALS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1902(a)(10) of the Social 
Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)(10)) is amended, in the 
matter following subparagraph (G), by striking ‘‘and any 
visit described in section 1916(a)(2)(G)’’ and inserting the 
following: ‘‘, any COVID–19 vaccine that is administered 
during any such portion (and the administration of such 
vaccine), any item or service that is furnished during any 
such portion for the treatment of COVID–19 or a condi-
tion that may complicate the treatment of COVID–19, 
and any services described in section 1916(a)(2)(G)’’. 
(b) DEFINITION OF UNINSURED INDIVIDUAL.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Subsection (ss) of section 
1902 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a) 
is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(ss) UNINSURED INDIVIDUAL DEFINED.—For pur-
poses of this section, the term ‘uninsured individual’ 
means, notwithstanding any other provision of this title, 
any individual who is not covered by minimum essential 
coverage (as defined in section 5000A(f)(1) of the Internal 
Revenue Code of 1986).’’. 
(2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made 
by paragraph (1) shall take effect and apply as if in-
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:50 Apr 27, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6616.IH
H6616
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
cluded in the enactment of the Families First 
Coronavirus Response Act (Public Law 116–127). 
(c) CLARIFICATION REGARDING EMERGENCY SERV-
ICES FOR CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS.—Section 1903(v)(2) of 
the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396b(v)(2)) is amend-
ed by adding at the end the following flush sentence: 
‘‘For purposes of subparagraph (A), care and serv-
ices described in such subparagraph include any in 
vitro 
diagnostic 
product 
described 
in 
section 
1905(a)(3)(B) that is administered during any por-
tion of the emergency period described in such sec-
tion beginning on or after the date of the enactment 
of this sentence (and the administration of such 
product), any COVID–19 vaccine that is adminis-
tered during any such portion (and the administra-
tion of such vaccine), any item or service that is fur-
nished during any such portion for the treatment of 
COVID–19 or a condition that may complicate the 
treatment of COVID–19, and any services described 
in section 1916(a)(2)(G).’’. 
(d) INCLUSION
OF COVID–19 CONCERN
AS
AN 
EMERGENCY CONDITION.—Section 1903(v)(3) of the So-
cial Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396b(v)(3)) is amended by 
adding at the end the following flush sentence: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:50 Apr 27, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H6616.IH
H6616
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS
‘‘Such term includes any indication that an alien de-
scribed in paragraph (1) may have contracted 
COVID–19.’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
21:50 Apr 27, 2020
Jkt 099200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H6616.IH
H6616
kjohnson on DSK79L0C42PROD with BILLS