Michigan Senate Bill 1124 allows homeless or runaway youths who are at least 14 years old to consent to and receive medically necessary health care without requiring parental permission. The bill defines specific criteria for these youths, including those seeking shelter in basic centers or transitional living programs, and lists acceptable documentation such as statements from school liaisons, attorneys, or two adults familiar with the individual's circumstances. Additionally, it grants young parents aged 14 and older the right to consent to medical treatment for their own children. Health care providers are protected from civil or criminal liability when treating these youths without parental consent, though they remain liable for any negligence in diagnosis or treatment.
Tags
Children
The Improving CARE for Youth Act amends the Social Security Act to prevent state Medicaid plans from denying payment for mental health or primary care services provided on the same day as a qualifying service. This legislation directly affects individuals receiving Medicaid coverage, particularly those who visit outpatient facilities for both physical and mental health treatments during a single visit. By establishing that states cannot prohibit reimbursement for these concurrent services, the bill ensures that patients are not financially penalized for combining different types of care in one appointment. The measure defines "same-day qualifying services" as primary or mental health visits occurring at the same facility on the same day, regardless of whether the providers are identical.
This bill, titled the Ensuring Kids Have Access to Medically Necessary Dental Care Act, modifies the Children's Health Insurance Program to expand dental coverage for low-income children and pregnant women. It mandates that states remove any lifetime or annual dollar limits on dental benefits for eligible participants and requires states to offer dental-only supplemental coverage instead of allowing them to opt out. The changes take effect six months after the law is enacted, ensuring that these specific groups receive consistent access to necessary dental services without financial caps.
The Support for Expectant and Parenting Foster Youth Act amends the Social Security Act to improve services for youth in foster care who are pregnant or have children. It requires states to connect these eligible families with evidence-based home visiting programs and mandates that state officials certify they have processes to share information about these services. Additionally, the bill allows states to use specific funding to provide tailored case management and resource coordination for expectant or parenting youth who have experienced foster care. These changes take effect one year after the law is enacted and apply to payments made under approved plans on or after that date.
Tags
Children
This bill, titled the Ensuring Kids Have Access to Medically Necessary Dental Care Act, modifies the Children's Health Insurance Program to improve dental coverage for low-income children and pregnant women. It prohibits states from setting lifetime or annual dollar limits on dental benefits for eligible children and pregnant women receiving assistance. Additionally, the law requires states to provide dental-only supplemental coverage to certain children without offering them less favorable terms than those available to children receiving full dental benefits. These changes take effect six months after the bill is enacted.
The MediKids Act expands Medicaid eligibility to cover children and young adults up to age 26, regardless of their immigration status, and establishes a system for automatic enrollment of newborns that allows parents to opt out if other qualifying health coverage is available. The bill ensures that states provide full federal funding for these expanded groups and extends specific pediatric health services, such as Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnostic, and Treatment (EPSDT), to individuals up to age 26. Additionally, the legislation modifies tax rules to prevent this new Medicaid coverage from counting as minimum essential coverage for the purpose of individual health insurance tax penalties.
The Childhood Disability Benefits Fairness Act changes how Medicaid eligibility is determined for children who receive Social Security child's insurance benefits. Under current rules, these children might be denied Medicaid because their Social Security payments count as income, even though the payments are meant to replace lost wages due to a parent's disability. This bill ensures that children in this situation are treated as if they are receiving Supplemental Security Income benefits instead, which allows them to qualify for Medicaid regardless of their Social Security income. The change applies to all new eligibility decisions made after the law is passed, aiming to provide consistent access to healthcare coverage for disabled children with low family incomes.
