Improving CARE for Youth Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [S. 5236 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

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119th CONGRESS 2d Session S. 5236

To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to ensure Medicaid coverage of mental health services and primary care services furnished on the same day.

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IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

August 4, 2026

Ms. Hassan (for herself and Mr. Cassidy) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance

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A BILL

To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to ensure Medicaid coverage of mental health services and primary care services furnished on the same day.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Improving Coordination and Access to Resources Equitably for Youth Act'' or the ``Improving CARE for Youth Act''.

SEC. 2. MEDICAID COVERAGE OF MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES AND PRIMARY CARE SERVICES FURNISHED ON THE SAME DAY.

(a) In General.--Section 1902(a) of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)) is amended-- (1) in paragraph (89), by striking ``; and'' and inserting a semicolon; (2) in paragraph (90)(C), by striking the period at the end and inserting ``; and''; and (3) by inserting after paragraph (90)(C) the following new paragraph: ``(91) not prohibit payment under the plan for a mental health service or primary care service furnished to an individual for which payment would otherwise be payable under the plan, with respect to such individual, if such service were not a same-day qualifying service (as defined in subsection (zz)).''. (b) Same-Day Qualifying Services Defined.--Section 1902 of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. 1396a) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: ``(zz) Same-Day Qualifying Services Defined.--For purposes of subsection (a)(91), the term `same-day qualifying service' means-- ``(1) a primary care service furnished to an individual by a provider at an office, clinic, or other outpatient facility on the same day a mental health service is furnished to such individual by such provider (or another provider) at the same office, clinic, or other outpatient facility; and ``(2) a mental health service furnished to an individual by a provider at an office, clinic, or other outpatient facility on the same day a primary care service is furnished to such individual by such provider (or another provider) at the office, clinic, or other outpatient facility.''. <all>