H.R. 2445: Ensuring Medicaid Eligibility Act of 2025

This bill, known as the Ensuring Medicaid Eligibility Act of 2025, seeks to make several changes to Medicaid eligibility processes and requirements. Here’s a breakdown of what the bill would do:

1. Prohibit Implementation of a Medicaid Streamlining Rule

The bill would prevent the Secretary of Health and Human Services from implementing a specific rule titled "Medicaid Program; Streamlining the Medicaid, Children's Health Insurance Program, and Basic Health Program Application, Eligibility Determination, Enrollment, and Renewal Processes", which was published on April 2, 2024. This means that any planned changes to simplify and streamline application, eligibility determination, enrollment, and renewal processes for these programs would not take effect.

2. Verify Citizenship or Immigration Status Before Enrollment

The bill amends the Social Security Act to ensure that individuals cannot be enrolled in Medicaid (or under related plans) until their citizenship or immigration status is verified. Specifically, it introduces conditions that require states to confirm that each individual is:

• A citizen or national of the United States, or
• An individual with a satisfactory immigration status.

Additionally, for individuals whose eligibility is affected by their income, the bill mandates that their eligibility must be verified at least quarterly.

3. Limit Medicaid Coverage for Certain Immigration Statuses

The bill would additionally restrict Medicaid coverage for specific groups of individuals who are not in the U.S. on permanent status. This includes:

• Parolees (individuals who have been allowed to enter the U.S. for a specific purpose but are not granted asylum or permanent residency),
• Individuals with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA),
• Those with Temporary Protected Status (TPS),
• Individuals granted asylum, and
• Individuals under withholding of removal.

This section would prevent federal payments for medical assistance provided to those individuals, effectively limiting their access to Medicaid services.

4. Conforming Amendments

The bill also includes several amendments that conform to the changes it proposes, ensuring that eligibility verification aligns with the new definitions and requirements set forth by the bill.

Relevant Companies

None found