Ensuring Medicaid Continuity for Children in Foster Care Act of 2026

This bill aims to ensure continuous Medicaid eligibility for children in foster care who are placed in a qualified residential treatment program (QRTP). It achieves this by amending Title XIX of the Social Security Act to exempt these children from the Medicaid Institution for Mental Diseases (IMD) exclusion . This critical change ensures that foster children in QRTPs can access necessary healthcare services, regardless of whether other federal payments are made on their behalf under section 472. The amendment will apply to items and services furnished in calendar quarters beginning on or after October 1, 2026, thereby safeguarding healthcare access for this vulnerable population.