[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8650 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8650

 To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to increase payments to 
   States with respect to outreach and enrollment under the Medicaid 
                                program.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 4, 2026

Mr. Carter of Louisiana (for himself and Ms. McClellan) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and 
                                Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
 To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to increase payments to 
   States with respect to outreach and enrollment under the Medicaid 
                                program.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Medicaid Outreach and Assistance for 
Communities Act of 2026''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds that--
            (1) Research has shown that access to health insurance 
        coverage reduces financial hardship, increases utilization of 
        preventive and primary care services, improves management of 
        chronic conditions, and is associated with better overall 
        health outcomes.
            (2) Medicaid coverage in particular produces meaningful 
        health and financial benefits, especially for vulnerable 
        populations.
            (3) In 2025, Congress passed Public Law 119-21 that imposed 
        many barriers to accessing Medicaid, including work reporting 
        requirements and more frequent eligibility redeterminations in 
        sections 71119 and 71107.
            (4) Evidence from jurisdictions that have adopted work 
        requirements has shown that many individuals do not enroll or 
        lose coverage at renewal, despite being eligible and compliant, 
        because of administrative complexity and documentation burdens.
            (5) Effective outreach programs can help individuals 
        navigate these new systems, increasing enrollment and retention 
        among eligible individuals.
            (6) States have systems in place to help individuals 
        navigate the Medicaid enrollment process but need additional 
        support to handle these new requirements. Navigators extend the 
        capacity of State government by helping to offset the 
        additional administrative burden and need for assistance that 
        State eligibility and call center workers will encounter when 
        work requirements and semi-annual renewals are implemented.
            (7) Without additional navigation support, eligible 
        individuals will go without insurance coverage, jeopardizing 
        the health, well-being, and financial security of children, 
        working families, and older adults.

SEC. 3. INCREASING PAYMENTS TO STATES FOR MEDICAID OUTREACH AND 
              ENROLLMENT.

    (a) Increased Payments for Outreach and Enrollment.--Section 
1903(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396b(a)) is amended--
            (1) by redesignating paragraph (7) as paragraph (8); and
            (2) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following new 
        paragraph:
            ``(7) an amount equal to 100 percent of the sums expended 
        during such quarter which are attributable to the costs of 
        outreach to and enrollment of individuals eligible for medical 
        assistance under this title or for child health assistance 
        under title XXI (including individuals described in section 
        1943(b)(1)(F)).''.
    (b) Effective Date.--The amendments made by this section shall 
apply with respect to calendar quarters beginning on or after the date 
of the enactment of this section.
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