Health Insurance for Former Foster Youth Act

Bill: 115-hr-4998
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Bass, Karen [D-CA-37]
Introduced: 2018-02-13
Policy area: Health
Subjects: Adoption and foster care

Health care costs and insurance

Health care coverage and access

Medicaid

State and local government operations
Latest action: action_date: 2018-06-12
text: Placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 567.

Summaries:
action_date: 2018-02-13
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Health Insurance for Former Foster Youth Act</b></p> <p>This bill requires state Medicaid programs to expand coverage&nbsp;for former foster care youth. Specifically,&nbsp;state Medicaid programs must cover individuals who were in foster care at 14 years of age but who subsequently left foster care due to a kinship guardianship. In addition,&nbsp;states must provide such coverage regardless of whether individuals were enrolled in Medicaid while in foster care.</p>

tv_txt: I 115th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 4998 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 13, 2018 Ms. Bass (for herself, Mr. Butterfield , Mr. Cárdenas , Ms. Clarke of New York , Ms. Castor of Florida , and Mr. Kennedy ) 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 ensure health insurance coverage continuity for former foster youth.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Health Insurance for Former Foster Youth Act . 2. Coverage continuity for former foster care children up to age 26 (a) In general Section 1902(a)(10)(A)(i)(IX) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)(10)(A)(i)(IX) ) is amended— (1) in item (bb)— (A) by striking are not described in or enrolled under and inserting are not described in and are not enrolled under ; and (B) by striking the semicolon at the end and inserting ; and ; (2) in item (cc), by striking responsibility of the State and all that follows through 475(8)(B)(iii); and and inserting responsibility of a State on the date of attaining 18 years of age (or such higher age as such State has elected under section 475(8)(B)(iii)), or who were in such care on the date of attaining 14 years of age but subsequently left such care to enter into a legal guardianship with a kinship caregiver (without regard to whether kinship guardianship payments are being made on behalf of the child under this part) ; and (3) by striking item (dd). (b) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall take effect on the date of enactment of this Act. 3. Outreach efforts for enrollment of former foster children Section 1902(a) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1396a(a) ) is amended— (1) in paragraph (82), by striking ; and and inserting a semicolon; (2) in paragraph (83), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and ; and (3) by inserting after paragraph (83) the following new paragraph: (84) not later than January 1, 2019, establish an outreach and enrollment program, in coordination with the State agency responsible for administering the State plan under part E of title IV and any other appropriate or interested agencies, designed to increase the enrollment of individuals who are eligible for medical assistance under the State plan under paragraph (10)(A)(i)(IX) in accordance with best practices established by the Secretary. .

tv_txt: IB Union Calendar No. 567 115th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 4998 [Report No. 115–732] IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 13, 2018 Ms. Bass (for herself, Mr. Butterfield , Mr. Cárdenas , Ms. Clarke of New York , Ms. Castor of Florida , and Mr. Kennedy ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce June 12, 2018 Additional sponsors: Mr. Walden and Mr. Mitchell June 12, 2018 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic For text of introduced bill, see copy of bill as introduced on February 13, 2018 A BILL To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to ensure health insurance coverage continuity for former foster youth.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Health Insurance for Former Foster Youth Act . 2. Coverage continuity for former foster care children up to age 26 (a) In general Section 1902(a)(10)(A)(i)(IX) of the Social Security Act ( 42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)(10)(A)(i)(IX) ) is amended— (1) in item (bb), by striking are not described in or enrolled under and inserting are not described in and are not enrolled under ; (2) in item (cc), by striking responsibility of the State and inserting responsibility of a State ; and (3) in item (dd), by striking the State plan under this title or under a waiver of the and inserting a State plan under this title or under a waiver of such a . (b) Effective date The amendments made by this section shall take effect with respect to foster youth who attain 18 years of age on or after January 1, 2023. 3. Guidance Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall issue guidance to States, with respect to the State Medicaid programs of such States— (1) on best practices for— (A) removing barriers and ensuring streamlined, timely access to Medicaid coverage for former foster youth up to age 26; (B) tracking the Medicaid coverage status and verifying Medicaid eligibility for such youth; and (C) conducting outreach and raising awareness among such youth regarding Medicaid coverage options for such youth; and (2) which shall include examples of States that have successfully extended Medicaid coverage to former foster youth up to age 26.

June 12, 2018 Reported with an amendment, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the State of the Union, and ordered to be printed