A Republican bill with 2 Democratic cosponsors · See all 2 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Kidd's Stuttering Act aims to amend the Social Security Act regarding speech therapy and screenings. It requires the Secretary to include screening for childhood-onset fluency disorders, such as stuttering, in the core set of child health quality measures by January 1, 2028. The bill also mandates that Medicaid well-child visits include these screenings for children aged 2 to 6 starting January 1, 2029. Additionally, it requires Medicaid and CHIP to cover specified speech therapy services for certain individuals. These services include the treatment of childhood-onset fluency disorders for those under age 21. The Act also establishes parity requirements for these speech therapy services.
Yes· 3 of 8
- Scored +8
Would children be better off under this?
The bill mandates speech screenings and coverage for young children.
- Scored +7
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
The bill enhances Medicaid and CHIP coverage for speech therapy services.
- Scored +7
Would people with disabilities be better off under this?
The bill improves access to essential speech therapy services for those with fluency disorders.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Expanded Screening for Early Detection: The bill mandates that the Secretary include measures for screening childhood-onset fluency disorders, including stuttering, for children between the ages of 2 and 6 (Section 2(a)). Additionally, it requires these screenings to be included in Medicaid well-child visits beginning January 1, 2029 (Section 2(b)).
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Improved Access to Speech Therapy: The Act requires Medicaid to cover "specified speech therapy services," which include treatment for childhood-onset fluency disorders for individuals under 21 years of age (Section 2(c)(1)(A)(ii)).
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Flexible Service Delivery: The bill specifies that these speech therapy services can be delivered through real-time, audio, and video telecommunications technology (Section 2(c)(1)(A)(ii)).
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Guaranteed Treatment Parity: The bill ensures that treatment limitations for specified speech therapy services are no more restrictive than those for other speech therapy services like expressive or receptive language disorders (Section 2(c)(1)(A)(i)). It also establishes parity requirements for Medicaid managed care organizations and other entities (Section 2(c)(1)(C)).
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Coverage Under CHIP: The Act requires that child health assistance provided to targeted low-income children under CHIP include coverage for specified speech therapy services starting January 1, 2029 (Section 2(c)(2)(A)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts or burdens are explicitly stated in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would children be better off under this? — The bill mandates speech screenings and coverage for young children. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill enhances Medicaid and CHIP coverage for speech therapy services. Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — The bill improves access to essential speech therapy services for those with fluency disorders. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — It provides coverage for speech therapy for individuals up to age 21. Would students be better off under this? — The bill covers speech therapy for individuals under age 21.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill mandates screenings and coverage for speech therapy services for children under Medicaid and CHIP. Does this put more money into Medicaid, the health coverage for people on low incomes? — The bill expands Medicaid coverage to include specified speech therapy services for children.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this expand the rights of people with disabilities? — The bill provides essential speech therapy and screening services for children with speech fluency disorders.
- 7/29/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
John FettermanDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Andy KimDemocrat · New Jersey