House considers health home option for vulnerable children in Medicaid

The House Energy and Commerce Health Subcommittee today held a hearing on draft legislation that would create a new state option in Medicaid to provide a health home for medically complex children. Under the draft legislation, health home providers such as pediatricians, pediatric specialists and children’s hospitals would provide care management and care coordination services to eligible children, including coordinating access to medical services for out-of-state providers. States would be required to collect data on the characteristics of participating children and providers, as well as applicable quality of care measures, among other provisions. Witnesses at the hearing included representatives from Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare in Saint Paul, MN; Cook Children’s Health System in Fort Worth, TX; and Boston Children’s Hospital.