Medicaid Improvement and State Flexibility Act of 2025
Medicaid Improvement and State Flexibility Act of 2025
Plain Language Summary
# Medicaid Improvement and State Flexibility Act of 2025 - Plain Language Summary **What the Bill Would Do:** This bill would give individual states more power to run their own Medicaid experiments without needing federal approval from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Specifically, it would allow states to create programs where Medicaid enrollees receive an EBT card (similar to a debit card) to pay for primary care doctor visits. Any unused money left on the card at year's end would be returned to the person as cash. However, participants would also be required to have catastrophic health insurance to cover major medical expenses. **Who It Affects:** The bill would primarily affect Medicaid recipients (low-income individuals and families covered by the government health program) and state governments running Medicaid programs.
It gives states flexibility to design their own healthcare models rather than following a one-size-fits-all federal approach. **Current Status:** The bill is currently in committee (the early stage of the legislative process) and has not yet been voted on by the full House or Senate. It was introduced by Rep. Mark Green (R-TN) in the 119th Congress.
CRS Official Summary
Medicaid Improvement and State Flexibility Act of 2025This bill authorizes states to approve their own experimental, pilot, or demonstration project under Medicaid if the project provides certain benefits involving electronic benefits transfer (EBT) cards. (Currently, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services approves Medicaid demonstration projects; such projects are also known as Section 1115 Demonstrations.)Specifically, the project must provide enrollees who elect to participate with an EBT card to purchase primary care services; enrollees must receive any remaining balance at the end of the year in the form of a cash payment and must also obtain catastrophic health insurance.
Latest Action
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.