Keep Kids Covered Act
Sponsored By: Representative Castor (FL)
Introduced
Summary
Expands continuous eligibility for children in Medicaid and CHIP. This bill would make it easier for kids and some former foster youth to keep coverage by extending how long they stay enrolled and updating state reporting rules.
Show full summary
- Families and children: Newborns who are deemed eligible would stay covered through age 6 instead of just 1 year. For older children the bill raises the baseline continuous-coverage period and provides uninterrupted coverage for ages 6 through 18.
- Former foster youth: Individuals who qualify as former foster youth would remain eligible for Medicaid until age 26, with the bill adjusting when that protection applies for different cohorts.
- State administration: States must collect updated contact information at least annually for people in extended enrollment and notify families about their coverage and how long it will last. The coverage rules in the bill take effect one year after enactment.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Longer Medicaid and CHIP coverage for kids
If enacted, children on Medicaid or CHIP would stay covered longer without rechecks. Newborns deemed eligible would keep coverage until age 6 instead of age 1. A child under 6 who qualifies would stay eligible until they turn 6 or move out of the state. Children ages 6 through 18 would also get continuous eligibility, and in many cases the period would be up to 24 months instead of 12. A deemed newborn in CHIP could be moved to full Medicaid during the 6-year period if they qualify. These changes would start 1 year after enactment.
Medicaid to age 26 for former foster youth
If enacted, states would have to keep eligible former foster youth on Medicaid until they turn 26, unless they leave the state. This state-plan requirement would start 1 year after enactment. The bill would also adjust start dates under an existing rule: for youth who turned 18 on or after January 1, 2023, the continuity rule would apply starting January 1, 2023; for others, it would start 180 days after enactment.
Yearly contact checks for Medicaid and CHIP
If enacted, states would have to update contact info at least once a year for people on continuous eligibility for over 12 months. States would also have to tell each person they are in a continuous eligibility period and how much time remains. CHIP would follow this rule by reference. These requirements would start 1 year after enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Castor (FL)
FL • D
Cosponsors
Tran
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
Schrier
WA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
Ruiz
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
Veasey
TX • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
Barragan
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
Fletcher
TX • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
Landsman
OH • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
Schakowsky
IL • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
McClellan
VA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
Soto
FL • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
Carter (LA)
LA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
Matsui
CA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
Trahan
MA • D
Sponsored 7/23/2025
DeGette
CO • D
Sponsored 8/26/2025
Clarke (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 9/26/2025
Kennedy (NY)
NY • D
Sponsored 9/26/2025
Tokuda
HI • D
Sponsored 9/26/2025
Tonko
NY • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Pettersen
CO • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Ross
NC • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Craig
MN • D
Sponsored 9/30/2025
Menendez
NJ • D
Sponsored 10/3/2025
Mullin
CA • D
Sponsored 10/3/2025
Dingell
MI • D
Sponsored 10/3/2025
Dexter
OR • D
Sponsored 10/10/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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