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
CMS Guidance on Medicaid Coverage of Drugs Approved by the FDA under Its “Accelerated Approval Pathway”
On June 27, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), Center for Medicaid and CHIP Services (CMCS) released guidance to states through State Release #185, titled State Medicaid Coverage of Drugs Approved by the FDA under Accelerated Approval Pathway. The...
CMS announces initiatives to strengthen Medicaid program integrity
On June 26, CMS announced ways that it would seek to strengthen program integrity. See CMS Launches Slate of Initiatives Aimed at Curbing Fraud, Waste in Medicaid (FierceHealthcare, 6/26/18).
Informational Bulletin on Medicaid Home and Community-based Services
As announced on June 28, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released an Informational Bulletin on ensuring the health and welfare of individuals receiving Medicaid-funded Home and Community Based Services (HCBS). The Centers for Medicaid & CHIP...
CMS Rejects Massachusetts Request to Restrict Medicaid Drug Formulary
The Massachusetts Medicaid program asked the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to waive several different requirements of Medicaid law pursuant to the federal government’s waiver authority granted in section 1115 of the Social Security Act. Among the...
Of Possible Interest: 7/3/2018
Teaching Parents of Kids with Disabilities to Fight Back (NPR, 6/29/18, text and audio) – story about the Partners in Policymaking program.
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.
Encourage confidence to act