Sickle Cell Disease Comprehensive Care Act

This legislation aims to significantly improve outpatient clinical care for individuals with sickle cell disease by expanding the Medicaid health home program. It amends Title XIX of the Social Security Act to allow states to establish specialized health homes for eligible individuals with sickle cell disease, effective January 1, 2026. A key provision mandates that these sickle cell disease-focused health homes must provide comprehensive dental and vision services to enrolled individuals, irrespective of whether these services are typically offered to other Medicaid beneficiaries. This ensures a holistic approach to care for a population with specific and often overlooked health needs. States implementing these health homes will be required to submit detailed reports to the Secretary after eight fiscal quarters, covering the quality of health care provided, patient access to services, and total health care expenditures for individuals with sickle cell disease. To guide states, the Secretary of Health and Human Services is directed to publish best practices for designing and implementing these specialized health home amendments by June 30, 2026, developed in consultation with medical experts and patient advocacy organizations.