Reducing Barriers to Out-Of-State Pediatric Care Through the Accelerating Kids’ Access to Care Act

Faegre Drinker Consulting Principal Nick Manetto co-authored an article for the Health Affairs Forefront blog with Joshua Greenberg, vice president for government relations at Boston Children's Hospital, examining how implementation of the Accelerating Kids' Access to Care Act can improve access to specialized pediatric care for children enrolled in Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). 

The authors discuss the increasing need for out-of-state pediatric care as highly specialized treatment becomes concentrated at regional centers of excellence and outline how the new law is designed to streamline provider enrollment across state Medicaid and CHIP programs.

They also offer recommendations for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services as it develops regulations to implement the legislation, including leveraging existing enrollment systems, standardizing data requirements, facilitating facility-level enrollment, and reducing administrative barriers that can delay care for medically complex children.

The article further explores additional policy opportunities to enhance access to specialized pediatric care nationwide.