Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator 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, bureaucratic red tape should not be an obstacle to care. This bipartisan legislation will make it easier for families to navigate our health care system and relieve some of the stress that they face to get their kids the care they need when they need it,” said Bennet.
“Moms and dads seeking life-saving care for their kids 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. Our bill simplifies the process so parents can ensure children with a rare disease or cancer diagnosis get the right specialized medical care,” said Grassley.
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.
Bennet and Grassley previously introduced the Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act in July 2023. This bill 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 health care providers to coordinate care, lower costs, and improve quality outcomes for children with complex medical conditions on Medicaid who require specialized care. Following the bill’s enactment, the lawmakers closely monitored implementation to ensure it would be executed as Congress intended.
“We deeply appreciate the bipartisan leadership of Senator Michael Bennet and Senator Chuck Grassley in their reintroduction of the Accelerating Kids Access to Care Act, and for all of their efforts to remove barriers to specialized healthcare services for children and their families,” said Zach Zaslow, Vice President of Advocacy and Community Health, Children’s Hospital Colorado. “It is essential to minimize disruptions in care for children with complex medical conditions including rare diseases, cancer, and congenital heart disease. Across our rural Rocky Mountain Region where pediatric specialty care is limited, it is critical to ensure access to the right care, at the right time, and in the right place. At Children’s Hospital Colorado, we are confident that the passage of this legislation will strengthen our mission to ensure that children have the opportunity for a healthier future.”
“As a specialty pediatric healthcare provider serving thousands of children and young adults with complex medical needs, ChildServe strongly supports the Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act,” said Teri Wahlig, M.D., ChildServe CEO. “This bipartisan legislation prioritizes access to quality healthcare, critical services and specialists for children with complex medical conditions by simplifying, standardizing and streamlining the referral process. It creates a more efficient pathway for children to receive the timely care they need. We are grateful to Senator Grassley and Senator Bennet for their continued dedication to advocating for children with complex medical needs.”
“This legislation will be a lifeline for families across the country facing childhood cancer,” said E. Anders Kolb, MD, President and CEO of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. “By streamlining the Medicaid provider screening and enrollment process, we’ll spare families the anguish of needless treatment delays at a time when every day counts. We thank Senators Grassley and Bennet for introducing this bill and urge Congress to pass it quickly. Kids can’t wait.”
“We are thrilled to see this important legislation reintroduced. The Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act has the potential to save lives. Our children must receive specialized care on their own timelines, without bureaucratic interference. We thank Sens. Grassley and Bennet for their work on behalf of our families,” said Mike Henry, Director of Advocacy, Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.
In addition to Bennet and Grassley, U.S. Senators Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Jack Reed (D-R.I.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), John Fetterman (D-Penn.), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) cosponsored this legislation.
The text of the bill is available HERE.