H.R. 3154: Medicaid Improvement for Insular Areas Act of 2025

Overview

This bill, known as the Medicaid Improvement for Insular Areas Act of 2025, aims to amend the Social Security Act by eliminating the general limitations on Medicaid funding for certain U.S. territories. It specifically targets Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa. The main goal is to allow these territories to receive Medicaid funding without the previous caps that have limited their healthcare funding in the past.

Key Provisions

• Elimination of Funding Caps: The bill proposes to remove the existing limitations on Medicaid funding for the specified territories. This means that starting from fiscal year 2025, these areas will not be subject to the funding caps that previously restricted the amount of Medicaid support they could receive.
• Amendments to the Social Security Act: Modifications will be made to Section 1108 of the Social Security Act, which governs Medicaid funding, by revising sections that define these funding limits. The current provisions (subsections f and g) regarding caps will not apply to the mentioned territories.
• Conforming Changes: Additional changes will be made to other sections of the Social Security Act to ensure consistency with the new provisions eliminating the funding restrictions.

Effective Date

The changes proposed in this bill will take effect beginning with fiscal year 2025, meaning that the territories can begin accessing increased Medicaid funding starting from that time.

Impact on Territories

By removing the funding caps, the bill is intended to enhance healthcare services in these territories, potentially improving access to medical care and financial support for Medicaid recipients. The goal is to address disparities in health outcomes compared to states with more robust Medicaid funding.

Relevant Companies

• None found