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Medicaid Outreach and Assistance for Communities Act of 2026
To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to increase payments to States with respect to outreach and enrollment under the Medicaid program.
Summary
This bill increases federal payments to States to support Medicaid outreach and enrollment efforts. Under current law, the federal government reimburses States for a portion of Medicaid-related expenses, and this bill adds outreach and enrollment activities to the list of fully federally-funded expenses. The bill provides 100 percent federal funding for State costs related to outreach to and enrollment of individuals eligible for Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program. These increased payments are intended to help States assist individuals in navigating Medicaid eligibility and enrollment processes.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
1 cosponsor
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Troy A. Carter’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- NULL $30,950
- OCHSNER HEALTH $19,350
- RIVER BIRCH, LLC $13,200
- AKD LAW $10,800
- CENTRAL MANAGEMENT $10,000
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Troy A. Carter → · Outside spending →
Actions (2)
- May 4, 2026 Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. · house
- May 4, 2026 Introduced in House
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Full text
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
May 4, 2026
Mr. Carter of Louisiana (for himself and Ms. McClellan) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce
A BILL
To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to increase payments to States with respect to outreach and enrollment under the Medicaid program.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the “Medicaid Outreach and Assistance for Communities Act of 2026”.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds that—
(1) Research has shown that access to health insurance coverage reduces financial hardship, increases utilization of preventive and primary care services, improves management of chronic conditions, and is associated with better overall health outcomes.
(2) Medicaid coverage in particular produces meaningful health and financial benefits, especially for vulnerable populations.
(3) In 2025, Congress passed Public Law 119-21 that imposed many barriers to accessing Medicaid, including work reporting requirements and more frequent eligibility redeterminations in sections 71119 and 71107.
(4) Evidence from jurisdictions that have adopted work requirements has shown that many individuals do not enroll or lose coverage at renewal, despite being eligible and compliant, because of administrative complexity and documentation burdens.
(5) Effective outreach programs can help individuals navigate these new systems, increasing enrollment and retention among eligible individuals.
(6) States have systems in place to help individuals navigate the Medicaid enrollment process but need additional support to handle these new requirements. Navigators extend the capacity of State government by helping to offset the additional administrative burden and need for assistance that State eligibility and call center workers will encounter when work requirements and semi-annual renewals are implemented.
(7) Without additional navigation support, eligible individuals will go without insurance coverage, jeopardizing the health, well-being, and financial security of children, working families, and older adults.
SEC. 3. INCREASING PAYMENTS TO STATES FOR MEDICAID OUTREACH AND ENROLLMENT.
(a) Increased Payments for Outreach and Enrollment.—Section 1903(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396b(a)) is amended—
(1) by redesignating paragraph (7) as paragraph (8); and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following new paragraph:
“(7) an amount equal to 100 percent of the sums expended during such quarter which are attributable to the costs of outreach to and enrollment of individuals eligible for medical assistance under this title or for child health assistance under title XXI (including individuals described in section 1943(b)(1)(F)).”.
(b) Effective Date.—The amendments made by this section shall apply with respect to calendar quarters beginning on or after the date of the enactment of this section. <all>
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