Ensuring Medicaid Continuity for Children in Foster Care Act of 2021

Ensuring Medicaid Continuity for Children in Foster Care Act of 2021

This bill allows states to receive federal Medicaid payment for services provided to foster care children in qualified residential treatment programs (i.e., programs with trauma-informed treatment models that address the needs of children with serious emotional or behavioral disorders or disturbances).

Bill 117 HR 5414, also known as the Ensuring Medicaid Continuity for Children in Foster Care Act of 2021, aims to address the issue of Medicaid coverage for children in foster care. The bill seeks to ensure that children in foster care maintain continuous access to Medicaid coverage, even if they are moved to a different placement or jurisdiction.

The bill requires states to automatically re-enroll children in foster care in Medicaid when they are placed in a new foster care setting, without requiring a new application or eligibility determination. This is intended to prevent disruptions in healthcare coverage for these vulnerable children.

Additionally, the bill requires states to provide notice to foster parents, child welfare agencies, and other relevant stakeholders about the Medicaid coverage of children in foster care, as well as information on how to access and maintain that coverage. Overall, the Ensuring Medicaid Continuity for Children in Foster Care Act of 2021 aims to streamline the Medicaid enrollment process for children in foster care and ensure that they have continuous access to healthcare coverage, regardless of changes in their placement or jurisdiction.