Public Policy
Policy Priorities to Support Children with Special Health Care Needs and Disabilities and Their Families
Our Strategic Policy Priorities
Children and youth with special health care needs and disabilities, and their families, face systemic barriers and biases that impede their ability to experience their best possible lives. Systems of care do not respond to their needs holistically or facilitate access to supports that enhance their quality of life.
To make the most impact, we focus our policy actions across all levels of government – federal, state, and local. We work with our family and organizational partners to lean on the various levers of policy change through education and advocacy.
Our current policy agenda includes:
- Expand access to peer-to-peer support for families of children and youth with special health care needs
- Support and expand Medicaid coverage for children and youth with special health care needs and their families and caregivers
- Improve the transition to adult health care for youth and young adults with disabilities and their caregivers and families
- Eliminate language access barriers
Family Voices collaborates with national child health and disability organizations, such as the Consortium for Citizens with Disabilities, The Arc, Autism Speaks, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and other groups.
Recent Policy Briefs
Recent Policy-Related News
Washington Update: The Administration (7/11/18)
Family Separations at the Border As explained in the last Update, the president issued an Executive Order on June 20 to end the administration’s practice of separating immigrant children and families who enter the US at the southern border. In addition, a federal...
Washington Update: Congress (7/11/18)
Congress was on recess last week, but here is some news from the week before: Palliative Care Bill Approved by House Subcommittee On June 27 the Health Subcommittee of the House Energy & Commerce Committee approved by voice vote the Palliative Care and Hospice...
Washington Update: Medicaid/CHIP News (7/11/18)
Medicaid Work Requirements As reported in the July 3 Update, a federal district court invalidated the waiver that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) had granted to Kentucky to allow the state to establish work requirements as a condition of Medicaid...
Washington Update: Affordable Care Act (ACA) (7/11/18)
CMS to Withhold Risk-Adjustment Payments to Insurers On Saturday, July 7, CMS announced that it will not be making the "risk adjustment" payments to insurers as prescribed by the ACA. This decision was based on a February 28, 2018, court ruling that bars the current...
Washington Update: TRICARE (7/11/2018)
Moving this Summer? Your TRICARE Options May Change (TRICARE Benefits Update, 6/27/18) Moving is a Qualifying Life Event (QLE). It doesn’t change your TRICARE eligibility, but it may change your TRICARE health plan options. Summer Travel: Getting Care While Overseas...
Legislation
The legislation tracked below is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to be an endorsement for or against the legislation. Action updates may occur daily, if actions are taken by Congress. Newly introduced legislation will be added weekly.
The legislative tracker is sorted by latest action. To navigate this page, you can scroll through just as you would a normal webpage. You can also click Ctrl+F on your keyboard and type in the search box.
For additional information and to read the full text (if available), click the highlighted bill number. You can also navigate to Congress.gov and search using key terms or phrases, or the bill numbers listed below.
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