Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), alongside U.S. Representatives Lori Trahan (D-Mass.) and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa), introduced legislation to improve access to life-saving care for children with complex medical conditions. The Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act simplifies out-of-state Medicaid screening and enrollment processes for pediatric care providers while retaining key safeguards to preserve the integrity of the program.
“For children with complex medical conditions and their families, bureaucratic red tape should not be another obstacle to access care. This bipartisan legislation will make it easier for low-income families to navigate our health care system and relieve some of the stress that caregivers face. I’ll keep working with my colleagues to pass this bill and help kids get the health care they need,” said Bennet.
“Families seeking life-saving care for their children should be able to access it quickly and wherever it’s available. Families shouldn’t have to trip over red tape to reach the most effective specialist, treatment or procedure, whether around the corner or across state lines,” said Grassley. “Our bill makes it easier for kids to get the medical attention they need without imposing extra costs on families.”
“The Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act is crucial for children battling rare and complex diseases,” said Miller-Meeks. “This legislation gives children with rare and complex diseases access to health care institutions and research facilities that are in many cases out of state. It also lessens the bureaucracy and significant wait times that bottleneck patient care and risk worsening a child’s health condition.”
“Children deserve access to the care they need regardless of the zip code they live in. That’s especially true for the unbelievably resilient kids and families battling childhood cancer and other rare diseases,” said Trahan. “The Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act will finally ease the burden on these families so kids get the care they deserve without delay.”
Children with complex medical conditions cannot always secure specialized care in their home states. When this happens, parents must work with their in-state providers and Medicaid officials to identify out-of-state providers who offer that care. This process is riddled with regulatory hurdles that often delay and sometimes prohibit children from receiving critical medical treatments. The Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act alleviates these burdens for families and providers by facilitating coordination across state lines and clarifying the process by which state Medicaid programs can cover specialized treatment regardless of where the child lives and where their care is received.
“We are grateful for the bipartisan leadership of Senator Michael Bennet and Senator Chuck Grassley for championing timely access to specialized care for children and their families. Now more than ever, as more adult providers close their pediatric units, it is critical to minimize any disruptions in care and treatments for children with complex medical conditions such as cancer and rare diseases. At Children’s Hospital Colorado, we are proud to treat children from every state in the country and we believe passage of this legislation will directly support our mission to ensure all children have a chance at a healthier future,” said Zach Zaslow, Vice President of Advocacy & Community Health, Children’s Hospital Colorado.
“It is vital that all children and adolescents can receive the health care they need, when they need it. For those with complex medical conditions, any delays in access to the specialized care they need can be detrimental to their health. As stated in its name, the Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act would help ensure that children enrolled in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program can receive timely health care without facing unnecessary barriers simply based on where they live. Pediatricians call on Congress to swiftly advance this bipartisan legislation, and we thank Representatives Lori Trahan (D-Mass.) and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) and Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) for their leadership on the issue,” said Sandy Chung, MD, FAAP, President, American Academy of Pediatrics.
The Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act builds on Bennet and Grassley’s Advancing Care for Exceptional (ACE) Kids Act, legislation that passed Congress and was signed into law in 2019. The ACE Kids Act made it possible for healthcare providers to coordinate care, lower costs, and improve quality outcomes for children with complex medical conditions on Medicaid who require specialized care.
In addition Bennet and Grassley, this legislation is cosponsored by U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Ten.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), John Boozman (D-Ark.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Ed Markey (D-Mass.), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.). This legislation is also supported by over 200 children’s hospitals, patients, and research organizations nationwide. A full list of the organizations supporting this legislation is available HERE.
The text of the bill is available HERE.