text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Stabilize Medicaid and CHIP Coverage 
  Act''.
  
  SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
  
      Congress finds the following:
              (1) Every year millions of people are enrolled in Medicaid 
          and the Children's Health Insurance Program (in this section 
          referred to as ``CHIP''), but subsequently lose their coverage, 
          despite still being eligible, because of inefficient and 
          cumbersome paperwork and logistical requirements.
              (2) Data show that the typical enrollee receives Medicaid 
          coverage for about three-quarters of a year. Coverage periods 
          are lower for non-elderly, non-disabled adults than for those 
          with disabilities, seniors, and children.
              (3) Medicaid enrollees with coverage disruptions are more 
          likely to be hospitalized for illnesses like asthma, diabetes, 
          or cardiovascular disease that can be effectively managed 
          through ongoing primary medical care and medication, are less 
          likely to be screened for breast cancer, and may have poorer 
          cancer outcomes.
              (4) Children enrolled in CHIP also experience disruptions 
          in health coverage and care. For example, during just a one-
          year period, over one-third of CHIP enrollees were also 
          enrolled in a State's Medicaid program. Transitions between 
          Medicaid and CHIP can cause disruptions in care because the 
          health care coverage and participating providers vary between 
          the two programs.
              (5) Interruptions in coverage can impair the receipt of 
          effective primary care and lead to expensive hospitalizations 
          or emergency room visits. Unnecessary enrollment, 
          disenrollment, and reenrollment in Medicaid and CHIP result in 
          higher administrative expenses for re-enrollment and result in 
          more people uninsured at any given time.
              (6) Stable coverage under Medicaid and CHIP lowers average 
          monthly medical costs.
              (7) Continuous enrollment also permits better prevention 
          and disease management, leading to fewer serious illnesses and 
          hospitalizations.
              (8) Children with stable coverage are less likely to have 
          unmet medical needs, allowing children to receive the 
          preventive care that is necessary to help them grow into 
          healthy adults.
  
  SEC. 3. 12-MONTH CONTINUOUS ENROLLMENT.
  
      (a) Requirement of 12-Month Continuous Enrollment Under Medicaid.--
  Section 1902(e)(12) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(e)(12)) 
  is amended to read as follows:
              ``(12) 12-month continuous enrollment.--Notwithstanding any 
          other provision of this title, a State plan approved under this 
          title (or under any waiver of such plan approved pursuant to 
          section 1115 or section 1915), shall provide that an individual 
          who is determined to be eligible for benefits under such plan 
          (or waiver) shall remain eligible and enrolled for such 
          benefits through the end of the month in which the 12-month 
          period (beginning on the date of determination of eligibility) 
          ends.''.
      (b) Requirement of 12-Month Continuous Enrollment Under CHIP.--
              (1) In general.--Section 2102(b) of the Social Security Act 
          (42 U.S.C. 1397bb(b)) is amended by adding at the end the 
          following new paragraph:
              ``(6) Requirement for 12-month continuous enrollment.--
          Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, a State 
          child health plan that provides child health assistance under 
          this title through a means other than described in section 
          2101(a)(2), shall provide that an individual who is determined 
          to be eligible for benefits under such plan shall remain 
          eligible and enrolled for such benefits through the end of the 
          month in which the 12-month period (beginning on the date of 
          determination of eligibility) ends.''.
              (2) Conforming amendment.--Section 2105(a)(4)(A) of the 
          Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1397ee(a)(4)(A)) is amended--
                      (A) by striking ``has elected the option of'' and 
                  inserting ``is in compliance with the requirement 
                  for''; and
                      (B) by striking ``applying such policy under its 
                  State child health plan under this title'' and 
                  inserting ``in compliance with section 2102(b)''.
      (c) Effective Date.--
              (1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2) or 
          (3), the amendments made by subsections (a) and (b) shall apply 
          to determinations (and redeterminations) of eligibility made on 
          or after the date that is 18 months after the date of the 
          enactment of this Act.
              (2) Extension of effective date for state law amendment.--
          In the case of a State plan under title XIX or State child 
          health plan under title XXI of the Social Security Act (42 
          U.S.C. 1396 et seq., 42 U.S.C. 1397aa et seq.) which the 
          Secretary of Health and Human Services determines requires 
          State legislation (other than legislation appropriating funds) 
          in order for the respective plan to meet the additional 
          requirement imposed by the amendment made by subsection (a) or 
          (b), respectively, the respective plan shall not be regarded as 
          failing to comply with the requirements of such title solely on 
          the basis of its failure to meet such applicable additional 
          requirement before the first day of the first calendar quarter 
          beginning after the close of the first regular session of the 
          State legislature that begins after the date of enactment of 
          this Act. For purposes of the previous sentence, in the case of 
          a State that has a 2-year legislative session, each year of the 
          session is considered to be a separate regular session of the 
          State legislature.
              (3) Option to implement 12-month continuous eligibility 
          prior to effective date.--A State may elect through a State 
          plan amendment under title XIX or XXI of the Social Security 
          Act (42 U.S.C. 1396 et seq., 42 U.S.C. 1397aa et seq.) to apply 
          the amendment made by subsection (a) or (b), respectively, on 
          any date prior to the 18-month date specified in paragraph (1), 
          but not sooner than the date of the enactment of this Act.
target: Stabilize Medicaid and CHIP Coverage Act - Amends title XIX (Medicaid) of the Social Security Act (SSA) to require a state Medicaid plan to provide 12-month continuous enrollment for an eligible individual, regardless of age.  Amends SSA title XXI (State Children's Health Insurance) (CHIP) to require a state CHIP plan also to provide 12-month continuous enrollment for an eligible individual.
feat_title: Stabilize Medicaid and CHIP Coverage Act