Care for Military Kids Act of 2025
Sponsored By: Representative Kiggans (VA)
Introduced
Summary
Treat active-duty relocated military families as residents of their new State for Medicaid eligibility. This bill would ease Medicaid access when active-duty service members, recent retirees, and their dependents move across state lines.
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- Families: Beginning January 1, 2028, active-duty service members, dependents, and people who left active duty within 12 months would be treated as residents of their relocation State for Medicaid and waiver eligibility unless they opt out.
- People on HCBS waiting lists: Individuals receiving home and community-based services or on a State HCBS waiting list when they move would remain on that list until the State completes an assessment and decides eligibility when a slot opens or the person chooses removal.
- States: States would be required to pay for medical assistance furnished in the relocation State to the extent such assistance exists there, following guidance from the Secretary of Health and Human Services, and may get extra time to comply if state law changes are needed.
- Federal implementation: The Department of Health and Human Services would receive $1.0 million each year for FY2026 through FY2030 to implement these changes.
*It increases federal spending by $1.0 million per year for FY2026–FY2030, totaling $5.0 million.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Medicaid help when military families move
Starting January 1, 2028, if the military moves you to another State, that State would treat you as a resident for Medicaid unless you opt out. The new State would pay for care that its Medicaid covers, following federal guidance. If you were getting home- and community-based services (HCBS) or were on an HCBS waiting list when you moved, you would keep your place. You would stay on the list until the State does an eligibility review when a slot opens and any fair-hearing appeal ends, or until you ask to leave the list. This would apply to active-duty members, those who left active duty within the past 12 months (including retirees), and dependents who move with them. Definitions would take effect on enactment.
Rollout timing and funding for Medicaid
Most changes would take effect on enactment, but States that need new laws could get extra time and not be treated as noncompliant during that period. A State could have until the first day of the first calendar quarter after its next regular legislative session that ends after one year from enactment; for two-year sessions, each year counts as a separate session. The bill would also give HHS $1 million each year for fiscal years 2026–2030 to implement these Medicaid changes, and the money would stay available until spent.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Kiggans (VA)
VA • R
Cosponsors
Kaptur
OH • D
Sponsored 5/14/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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