A Democratic bill with 2 Republican cosponsors · See all 3 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
This bill, known as the "Sickle Cell Disease Comprehensive Care Act," aims to amend title XIX of the Social Security Act. It seeks to establish a demonstration project to improve outpatient clinical care for people living with sickle cell disease. The legislation allows States to implement plan amendments designed to provide health home services specifically for these individuals starting January 1, 2026. It includes specific requirements for dental and vision services for those enrolled in these health homes. Additionally, it mandates reporting on care quality, access, and expenditures.
Yes· 3 of 7
- Scored +7
Does this make health care easier to get in general?
The bill improves healthcare access by establishing a demonstration project for specialized outpatient clinical care and mandatory dental and vision services for people with sickle cell disease.
- Scored +6
Would Black Americans be better off under this?
The bill provides specialized care for sickle cell disease, a condition that disproportionately affects Black Americans.
- Scored +5
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
The bill enhances Medicaid services, which primarily serves low-income populations.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Enhanced Care Services: States can create plan amendments designed to provide health home services primarily to eligible individuals with sickle cell disease (Section 2, subsection (c)(5)(A)).
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Mandatory Dental and Vision Care: For states with these specific plan amendments, the law ensures that eligible individuals receive dental and vision services, regardless of existing state requirements (Section 2, subsection (c)(5)(B)).
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Access to Best Practices: The Secretary is required to make best practices for designing and implementing these health home services available on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services website by June 30, 2026 (Section 2, subsection (c)(5)(D)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Reporting Requirements: States must submit reports to the Secretary after the first 8 fiscal quarters covering healthcare quality, access, and total expenditures, which imposes administrative obligations (Section 2, subsection (c)(5)(C)(i)).
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 Black Americans be better off under this? — The bill provides specialized care for sickle cell disease, a condition that disproportionately affects Black Americans. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The bill enhances Medicaid services, which primarily serves low-income populations. Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — The bill improves the provision of specialized health home services for individuals with a chronic blood disorder.
- Healthcare
- Does this make health care easier to get in general? — The bill improves healthcare access by establishing a demonstration project for specialized outpatient clinical care and mandatory dental and vision services for people with sickle cell disease. Does this put more money into Medicaid, the health coverage for people on low incomes? — The bill allows states to implement plan amendments to provide specialized health home services to Medicaid-eligible individuals with sickle cell disease.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this narrow racial gaps in how people are treated? — By targeting care for sickle cell disease, which disproportionately affects specific racial groups, the bill helps address healthcare disparities.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill requires states to submit reports on healthcare quality, access, and expenditures to the Secretary.
- 5/6/2025
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 2/25/2025
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in Senate
2 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Bill CassidyRepublican · Louisiana
Christopher CoonsDemocrat · Delaware
Tim ScottRepublican · South Carolina