Expanded Coverage for Former Foster Youth Act

# Expanded Coverage for Former Foster Youth Act - Summary **What the Bill Does:** This bill would expand Medicaid health insurance coverage for young adults who spent time in the foster care system. Currently, states must cover former foster youth until age 26, but only if they were enrolled in Medicaid while in foster care. This bill would remove that enrollment requirement and extend coverage to additional groups: youth who left foster care through legal guardianship with a relative (kinship care) or who were emancipated before turning 18.

The bill would also require states to actively reach out to and help enroll eligible former foster youth in Medicaid. **Who It Affects:** The primary beneficiaries would be former foster youth ages 18-26 who currently fall through coverage gaps—particularly those who aged out of foster care before 18 or were placed with relative guardians instead of staying in the formal foster system. States and their Medicaid programs would also be affected, as they would need to expand eligibility and create new outreach efforts. **Current Status:** The bill was introduced by Senator Peter Welch (D-VT) and is currently in committee, meaning it has not yet been debated or voted on by the full Senate.