CHA Commends House Passage of Bipartisan Bill to Streamline Access to Pediatric Care

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Children’s Hospital Association (CHA) commends the U.S. House of Representatives for passing the Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act (H.R. 4758), a bipartisan bill designed to improve access to out-of-state care for children with complex medical needs. The legislation, sponsored by Representatives Lori Trahan (D-MA) and Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), aims to streamline the Medicaid provider screening and enrollment process, ensuring that pediatric patients receive timely care regardless of their location.

“We are ecstatic that the House of Representatives has passed the bipartisan Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act,” said Matthew Cook, president and CEO of CHA. “This legislation is vital for children and families affected by rare diseases and other chronic conditions who often face significant barriers to accessing timely care outside their home states.”

Children with complex health needs frequently require the expertise of pediatric specialists and subspecialists found only in children’s hospitals or other specialty pediatric providers, some of which are not located in their home state. But children on Medicaid needing care outside their home states often experience delays because some state Medicaid programs require out-of-state providers to be screened and enrolled into their program even if the provider is already enrolled and in good standing with their home state Medicaid program and in Medicare. The process consumes valuable time and resources, increases program costs and delays children’s access to care.

“By streamlining the burdensome Medicaid provider enrollment process, this bill ensures that pediatric patients have timely access to the specialized care they need, regardless of where they live. We are eternally grateful for the tenacious, bipartisan leadership of Reps. Trahan and Miller-Meeks to get this vital bill over the finish line in the House,” said Cook. “Now on to the Senate!”

Medicaid provides coverage for about half of the nation’s children, including three million children in military-connected families that are either currently enrolled or eligible, and offers essential wrap-around care to many children with complex needs who have private insurance. The Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act would ensure Medicaid patients have quicker access to necessary care from pediatric specialists across state lines.