Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congresswoman Lori Trahan (D-MA-03) and Congresswoman Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA-01), members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Health Subcommittee, celebrated passage of their Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act in the House of Representatives. The bipartisan legislation introduced in July 2023 breaks down barriers for children with complex medical conditions to make it easier for families to access out-of-state care. 

“For children and families facing rare pediatric diseases like cancer, the time between diagnosis and treatment is everything,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “'I'm proud that my bipartisan Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act is now one step closer to becoming law so children aren’t denied lifesaving care because of preventable and time-consuming administrative hurdles.”

“House passage of the Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act is a major win for children fighting rare and complex diseases,” said Congresswoman Miller-Meeks. “Our 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 reduces bureaucratic red tape and significant wait times that delay patient care and risk exacerbating a child’s health condition. I thank Rep. Trahan and Children’s Hospitals across America for this milestone and brighter future for many children. We look forward to the President swiftly signing it into law.”

Children with complex medical needs may not have the specialized care they need within their home state. In these instances, parents must work with health care providers and state Medicaid officials to find out-of-state care. The process is difficult and complex, often delaying children and their families from receiving the care they desperately need – and in some cases blocking access to care all together. During an Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee markup in June, Trahan highlighted the story of a baby born with a rare condition that went untreated for months because of repeated delays in her home state’s approval process that prevented her family from traveling to Boston for the surgery she needed.

In order to reduce barriers to out-of-state care, the Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act allows states to streamline the process for out-of-state pediatric care providers to enroll in another state’s Medicaid program, while also safeguarding important program integrity processes. The legislation enables smooth coordination across state lines by clarifying the process by which state Medicaid programs can cover this care regardless of where the child lives and where their care is received.

“We are ecstatic that the House of Representatives has passed the bipartisan Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act,” said Matthew Cook, President and CEO of the Children’s Hospital Association. “This legislation is vital for children and families affected by rare diseases and other chronic conditions who often face significant barriers to accessing timely and coordinated care. Children with complex health needs frequently require the expertise of pediatric specialists and subspecialists found only in children’s hospitals some of which are not located in their home state. By streamlining the burdensome Medicaid provider enrollment process, this bill ensures that pediatric patients have timely access to the specialized care they need, regardless of where they live. We are eternally grateful for the tenacious, bipartisan leadership of Reps. Trahan and Miller-Meeks to get this vital bill over the finish line in the House. Now on to the Senate!”

“Right now, we put children with cancer and their families through a cumbersome, anguishing process — just to get the out-of-state care they need,” said E. Anders Kolb, MD, President and CEO of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. “There’s a better way, and it starts with passing the Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act. We are grateful to Representatives Trahan and Miller-Meeks for their leadership on this bill and urge the Senate to take it up quickly. Kids can’t wait.”

“The Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act will make a meaningful difference for medically complex children in the Medicaid and CHIP programs who need to cross state lines for care, and for their families, who often face barriers in accessing care in a timely manner,” said Dr. Kevin B. Churchwell, President and CEO of Boston Children’s Hospital. “It is a heartening example of thoughtful and bipartisan legislation that will solve this major problem in caring for very vulnerable children. Once enacted, it will help remove barriers that often lead to worse health outcomes and higher healthcare costs." Dr. Churchwell expressed his gratitude to the legislators whose leadership helped move this bill forward, including Congresswomen Trahan and Miller-Meeks as well as Energy & Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA), Ranking Member Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Health Subcommittee Chair Brett Guthrie (R-KY) and Ranking Member Anna Eshoo (D-CA).

A full list of the 216 organizations supporting the Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act is available HERE. The legislation now moves to the Senate where companion legislation has been introduced by Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and Michael Bennet (D-CO).

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