119-s2496

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2496 Introduced in Senate

    (IS) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 S. 2496

 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 SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

 July 29, 2025

 Mr. Bennet introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 
 referred to the Committee on Finance

_______________________________________________________________________

 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.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Keep Kids Covered Act''.

SEC. 2. REQUIRING STATES TO PROVIDE FOR CONTINUOUS ELIGIBILITY FOR 
 CHILDREN UNDER MEDICAID AND CHIP.

    (a) Continuous Eligibility for Deemed Newborns Until Age 6.--

    (1) Medicaid.--

Section 1902

    (e)

    (4) of the Social Security 
 Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a

    (e)

    (4) ) is amended by striking ``one year'' 
 and inserting ``6 years''.

    (2) CHIP.--

Section 2112

    (e) of the Social Security Act (42 
 U.S.C. 1397ll

    (e) ) is amended by striking ``1 year of age'' and 
 inserting ``6 years of age (except that such a child who is 
 enrolled under the State child health plan or waiver may be 
 transferred to the Medicaid program under title XIX for the 
 remaining duration of the 6-year continuous eligibility period, 
 if the child becomes eligible for full benefits under title XIX 
 during such period)''.

    (b) Continuous Eligibility for Children Under Age 19 and Former 
Foster Youth.--

    (1) Medicaid.--

Section 1902

    (e)

    (12) of the Social Security 
 Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a

    (e)

    (12) ) is amended--
        (A) in the paragraph heading, by striking ``1 year 
 of continuous'' and inserting ``Continuous'';
        (B) in the text preceding subparagraph
        (A) , by 
 inserting ``has attained the age of 6 and'' after ``an 
 individual who'';
            (C) in subparagraph
        (A) , by striking ``the 12-month 
 period'' and inserting ``the 24-month period'';
            (D) by redesignating subparagraphs
        (A) through
            (C) as clauses
            (i) through
            (iii) , respectively, and 
 adjusting the margins accordingly;
        (E) by striking ``The State plan'' and inserting:
 ``
        (A) Children under age 6.--The State plan (or 
 waiver of such State plan) shall provide that an 
 individual who is under the age of 6 and who is 
 determined to be eligible for benefits under a State 
 plan (or waiver of such plan) approved under this title 
 under subsection

    (a)

    (10)
        (A) shall remain eligible for 
 such benefits until the earlier of--
 ``
            (i) the time that such individual attains 
 the age of 6; or
 ``
            (ii) the date that such individual ceases 
 to be a resident of such State.
 ``
        (B) Children ages 6 through 18.--The State 
 plan''; and
        (F) by adding at the end the following new 
 subparagraph:
 ``
            (C) Former foster youth.--The State plan (or 
 waiver of such State plan) shall provide that an 
 individual who is determined to be eligible for 
 benefits under a State plan (or waiver of such plan) 
 approved under this title under subsection

    (a)

    (10)
        (A)
            (i) 
            (IX) shall remain eligible for such 
 benefits until the earlier of--
 ``
            (i) the time that such individual attains 
 the age of 26; or
 ``
            (ii) the date that such individual ceases 
 to be a resident of such State.''.

    (2) CHIP.--

Section 2107

    (e)

    (1)
            (L) of the Social Security Act 
 (42 U.S.C. 1397gg

    (e)

    (1)
            (L) ), as redesignated by 

section 71103

    (b)

    (1) of Public Law 119-21, is amended--
        (A) by striking ``1 year of''; and
        (B) by striking ``12-month'' and inserting 
 ``applicable''.
            (c) Updating Contact Information During Continuous Eligibility 
Period.--

    (1) Medicaid.--

Section 1902

    (a) of the Social Security Act 
 (42 U.S.C. 1396a

    (a) ), as amended by sections 71103

    (a)

    (1) and 
 71104 of Public Law 119-21, is amended--
        (A) in paragraph

    (88) , by striking ``and'' at the 
 end;
        (B) in paragraph

    (89) , by striking the period at 
 the end and inserting ``; and''; and
            (C) by inserting after paragraph

    (89) the following 
 new paragraph:
 ``

    (90) provide for a process--
 ``
        (A) to obtain, not less frequently than annually, 
 the up-to-date contact information for individuals 
 enrolled under such plan (or a waiver of such plan) who 
 have been so enrolled for a period of longer than 12 
 months pursuant to a continuous eligibility provision 
 under this title; and
 ``
        (B) to inform each such individual of their 
 enrollment under such plan (or waiver) pursuant to such 
 continuous eligibility provision and of the remaining 
 duration of the applicable period of continuous 
 eligibility.''.

    (2) CHIP.--

Section 2107

    (e)

    (1) of the Social Security Act 
 (42 U.S.C. 1397gg

    (e)

    (1) ), as redesignated by sections 
 71103

    (b)

    (1) and 71109

    (b) of Public Law 119-21, is amended--
        (A) by redesignating subparagraphs
            (I) through
        (W) as subparagraphs
        (J) through
            (X) , respectively; and
        (B) by inserting after subparagraph
        (H) the 
 following new subparagraph:
 ``
            (I) Section 1902

    (a)

    (90) (relating to the 
 verification of contact information and provision of 
 information regarding enrollment during a period of 
 continuous eligibility).''.
            (d) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall take 
effect on the date that is 1 year after the date of the enactment of 
this section.

SEC. 3. ADJUSTING APPLICATION OF PROVISION PROVIDING COVERAGE 
 CONTINUITY FOR FORMER FOSTER CHILDREN UP TO AGE 26 UNDER 
 MEDICAID.

 

Section 1002

    (a)

    (2) of the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act 
(42 U.S.C. 1396a note) is amended by striking ``shall take effect with 
respect to'' and all that follows through the period at the end and 
inserting the following: ``shall apply--
 ``
        (A) beginning January 1, 2023, with respect to 
 foster youth who attain 18 years of age on or after 
 such date; and
 ``
        (B) beginning on the date that is 180 days after 
 the date of enactment of the Keep Kids Covered Act, 
 with respect to foster youth not described in 
 subparagraph
        (A) .''.
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