Sponsors (7)
Provides Medicaid continuity for people who were in foster care by extending eligibility up to age 26 for those who turn 18 on or after January 1, 2026. Requires states to create outreach and enrollment programs by January 1, 2026, working with the agency that runs the State IV‑E foster care plan and other appropriate agencies to increase enrollment of eligible former foster youth into medical assistance.
Amends Section 1902(a)(10)(A)(i)(IX) of the Social Security Act. The file shows the amendment point but contains only the placeholder text “(IX) who—.” (the new substantive language is not present in this document) .
Sets the effective date for the amendment. The amendment made by subsection (a) takes effect on January 1, 2026 and applies with respect to individuals who attain 18 years of age on or after that date .
Amend paragraph (86) of Section 1902(a) of the Social Security Act by striking the existing text at that point and inserting a semicolon.
Amend paragraph (87)(D) of Section 1902(a) by replacing the period at the end of that paragraph with a semicolon.
Insert a new paragraph (88) into Section 1902(a) requiring that, not later than January 1, 2026, an outreach and enrollment program be established. The program must be coordinated with the State agency that administers the State plan under part E of title IV and any other appropriate or interested agencies, and must be designed to increase enrollment of individuals who are eligible for medical assistance under the State plan under paragraph (10)(A)(i)(IX), using best practices established by the Secretary.
Who is affected and how:
Former foster youth (most directly affected): The bill extends Medicaid coverage continuity so eligible individuals who were in foster care can remain eligible through age 26, reducing coverage gaps and improving access to health care during young adulthood. This chiefly benefits those who leave foster care at or after age 18.
State Medicaid agencies and child welfare/state IV‑E agencies: States must design, implement, and run outreach and enrollment programs by the January 1, 2026 deadline. Agencies will need to coordinate across programs, modify outreach materials, update eligibility systems, and potentially reallocate staff and resources to meet the new requirement.
Medicaid program and providers: Increased enrollment of former foster youth may raise Medicaid caseloads and service demand; health care providers serving these populations could see greater continuity of payment and care. States may also need to consider provider network capacity and care coordination for this age group.
Community organizations and enrollment assisters: Groups that help with enrollment (community‑based organizations, navigators, legal aid, youth services) will be important partners for outreach and may see increased demand for assistance helping former foster youth enroll.
Fiscal and operational impacts on states: Because the text does not specify dedicated federal funding for the outreach program, states may face unfunded administrative costs to create and run outreach/enrollment efforts unless they repurpose existing funds or secure federal grants. States will also bear the operational tasks of verifying foster care history and establishing enrollment workflows.
Limitations and uncertainties:
Last progress June 12, 2025 (8 months ago)
Introduced on June 12, 2025 by Peter Welch
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.