Medicaid Outreach and Assistance for Communities Act of 2026

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office] [H.R. 8650 Introduced in House (IH)] <DOC> 119th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8650 To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to increase payments to States with respect to outreach and enrollment under the Medicaid program. _______________________________________________________________________ IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES May 4, 2026 Mr. Carter of Louisiana (for himself and Ms. McClellan) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce _______________________________________________________________________ A BILL To amend title XIX of the Social Security Act to increase payments to States with respect to outreach and enrollment under the Medicaid program. 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 ``Medicaid Outreach and Assistance for Communities Act of 2026''. SEC. 2. FINDINGS. The Congress finds that-- (1) Research has shown that access to health insurance coverage reduces financial hardship, increases utilization of preventive and primary care services, improves management of chronic conditions, and is associated with better overall health outcomes. (2) Medicaid coverage in particular produces meaningful health and financial benefits, especially for vulnerable populations. (3) In 2025, Congress passed Public Law 119-21 that imposed many barriers to accessing Medicaid, including work reporting requirements and more frequent eligibility redeterminations in sections 71119 and 71107. (4) Evidence from jurisdictions that have adopted work requirements has shown that many individuals do not enroll or lose coverage at renewal, despite being eligible and compliant, because of administrative complexity and documentation burdens. (5) Effective outreach programs can help individuals navigate these new systems, increasing enrol