WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) and Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) partnered with Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Rep. Lori Trahan (D-Mass.) on 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.
“The Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act is crucial for children battling rare and complex diseases,” Miller-Meeks said. “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.”
“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,” Grassley said. “Our bill makes it easier for kids to get the medical attention they need without imposing extra costs on families.”
“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,” Bennet said.
“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,” Trahan said. “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 do offer that care. The process is riddled with regulatory hurdles that often delay, or even prohibit, children from receiving critical medical treatments. The Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act would alleviate these burdens for families, as well as providers.
The bill is backed by over 200 children’s hospitals, patients and research organizations nationwide.