Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care

Summary#

This bill, the Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act of 2025, would change parts of the Social Security Act (titles XIX and XXI) to make it easier for certain out-of-state health providers to enroll in a State's Medicaid or CHIP program to serve children. It adds a new paragraph to section 1902(kk) that requires a State to adopt a process letting an eligible out-of-state provider enroll with only the minimum information needed for payment (for example, the provider's name and National Provider Identifier). A provider who enrolls this way would be a participating provider for a 5-year period unless terminated or excluded earlier.

The bill defines an "eligible out-of-state provider" as a provider located in another State that has been screened and found to have a limited risk of fraud, waste, and abuse (either by the federal Medicare screening process or by the other State's Medicaid screening) and is enrolled in Medicare or that other State's Medicaid. It also requires that the provider not be excluded under federal or State exclusion rules and not have been terminated for certain reasons. "Qualifying individual" means a person under age 21 enrolled in the State's Medicaid or CHIP plan. The bill also makes small wording changes in other sections to add the word "enrollment." The amendments would take effect 3 years after the date of enactment.

What it means for you#

  • If you are a child under age 21 enrolled in Medicaid or CHIP, the bill would allow certain out-of-state providers who meet the bill's conditions to enroll in your State's program to provide care or make orders and referrals.
  • If you are an out-of-state provider who already passed limited-risk screening and is enrolled in Medicare or another State's Medicaid, the bill would let you enroll in a State's Medicaid or CHIP plan with minimal additional information and be enrolled for up to 5 years unless terminated or excluded.
  • If you work for a State Medicaid or CHIP agency, the State would need to adopt and implement a streamlined enrollment process for eligible out-of-state providers.

Expenses#

No publicly available information on budgetary effects or costs is included in the bill text or provided materials.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information on proponents' arguments or statements is included in the provided bill text or metadata.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information on opponents' arguments or statements is included in the provided bill text or metadata.