President Donald Trump last week signed into law legislation cosponsored by U.S. Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) that would support children on Medicaid with medically complex conditions.
The Advancing Care for Exceptional (ACE) Kids Act of 2019, S. 317, was signed into law on April 18 as part of the Medicaid Services Investment and Accountability Act of 2019, H.R. 1839. The broader measure included a package of bills that would provide government funding extensions for several Medicaid programs.
“The ACE Kids Act gives us an exciting opportunity to give some of our nation’s most vulnerable children the support that they need to succeed,” Sen. Portman said, who worked with U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) in advancing the bill. “Focusing on care coordination for children with complex medical conditions is a common-sense idea that will deliver results and save lives.”
Nearly 40 percent of Medicaid costs for children involve caring for those with complex medical conditions, such as cancer, congenital heart disease, and genetic disorders, Sen. Portman’s office said, adding that often parents have to cross state lines to get the specialized care their children need.
The ACE Kids Act, introduced by U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), would allow hospitals to coordinate and standardize care in different states in order to help children with complicated medical conditions receive consistent treatment. Under the bill, case managers would help families navigate the complex Medicaid health care system. Better coordination by health care providers could lead to lower costs and better health outcomes for children, the senator’s statement said.
Michael Fisher, president and CEO of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, praised Sens. Portman and Brown for their work in getting the bill passed. “For the most vulnerable and medically complex children in our community, the ACE Act gives Cincinnati Children’s flexibility to deliver the right care, at the right time in the right setting, which creates better patient outcomes and substantially eases the burden for these families.”