# What the Accelerating Kids' Access to Care Act Does

This bill makes it easier for doctors and healthcare providers from other states to quickly start treating children covered by Medicaid and CHIP (the Children's Health Insurance Program). Right now, when a healthcare provider from out of state wants to serve Medicaid or CHIP patients in a new state, they have to go through a lengthy enrollment process with lots of paperwork and requirements that can take months. This bill streamlines that process so qualified out-of-state providers can start serving kids faster.

Here's how it works in practice: If a pediatrician from Iowa wants to treat Medicaid patients in Illinois, they currently might need to submit extensive documentation and answer detailed questions specific to Illinois's requirements. Under this bill, that provider would only need to provide basic information like their name and National Provider Identifier (a unique number all healthcare providers have). The key requirement is that the provider must already be vetted—either they're already enrolled in Medicare and passed federal fraud checks, or they're already enrolled in another state's Medicaid program and passed that state's fraud checks. Once approved through this streamlined process, they'd be enrolled for five years automatically, unless they get terminated for cause.

The main benefit is that kids in Medicaid and CHIP programs could have faster access to specialists and other providers, especially in areas where local providers are scarce. This is particularly helpful for families who might need care from providers in neighboring states or for telehealth services. The bill takes effect three years after it becomes law, giving states time to set up their new enrollment systems. The tradeoff is that states have less ability to conduct their own independent screening of out-of-state providers, though the bill maintains safeguards by only allowing providers who've already passed fraud and abuse checks in other programs.

Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act of 2025

Trahan, Lori

Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act of 2025This bill requires states to establish a process through which qualifying out-of-state providers may temporarily treat children under Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) without undergoing additional screening requirements.&nbsp;Specifically, states must establish a process through which qualifying out-of-state providers may enroll for five years as participating providers to treat individuals under the age of 21 without undergoing additional screening requirements.A qualifying out-of-state provider (1) must not have been excluded or terminated from participating in a federal health care program or state Medicaid program; and (2) must have been successfully enrolled in Medicare or a state Medicaid program based on a determination that the provider posed a limited risk of fraud, waste, or abuse.The bill’s changes take effect three years after enactment.