Ensuring Medicaid Continuity for Children in Foster Care Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Bilirakis
Introduced
Summary
Creates a Medicaid exception allowing payment for services for foster children placed in Qualified Residential Treatment Programs despite the Institutions for Mental Disease (IMD) payment ban. This bill would let Medicaid cover items and services for any child in foster care placed in a QRTP even when the IMD rule would normally block payment.
Show full summary
- Children and families: Any child in foster care under state responsibility who is placed in a Qualified Residential Treatment Program would be eligible for Medicaid-covered services that were previously barred by the IMD exclusion.
- State Medicaid programs: States could claim Medicaid reimbursement for those covered services for affected foster children beginning with calendar quarters starting October 1, 2026.
- QRTP providers and program rules: The exception is tied to the federal definition of a QRTP in section 472(k)(4). The change is prospective and contains no sunset date.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Medicaid pays for foster kids' residential care
This bill would let Medicaid pay for services normally barred by the IMD exclusion when given to a child in foster care placed in a Qualified Residential Treatment Program. It would apply to children in foster care under a State's responsibility and to QRTPs as defined in section 472(k)(4). The change would take effect for services furnished in calendar quarters beginning on or after October 1, 2026. If enacted, this could lower out-of-pocket costs for families or shift payment for costly residential mental-health care to Medicaid.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Bilirakis
FL • R
Cosponsors
Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26]
CA • D
Sponsored 3/26/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov