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Bill

HR 9846

To amend title XVI of the Social Security Act to treat certain individuals receiving child's insurance benefits as receiving supplemental security income benefits for purposes of determining Medicaid eligibility.

119th Congress Introduced by Debbie Dingell

Treat certain title XVI child’s insurance beneficiaries as if they receive SSI when determining Medicaid eligibility.

Introduced in House
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HR 9846

Overview

HR 9846 is a proposed federal bill in the 119th Congress that would amend title XVI of the Social Security Act. Its central aim is to treat certain individuals who receive child's insurance benefits as if they were receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits when determining Medicaid eligibility. The measure is sponsored in the House with Debbie Dingell listed as a co-sponsor and was introduced on July 22, 2026. It has been referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means and, separately, to the Committee on Energy and Commerce for consideration.

Purpose and intent

  • The bill seeks to modify how Medicaid eligibility is determined for a subset of individuals who are currently receiving child’s insurance benefits under title XVI.
  • By treating these individuals as if they are receiving SSI benefits for Medicaid eligibility purposes, the bill aims to align Medicaid qualification criteria with a broader or alternative form of federal income support status.
  • The underlying intent appears to be easing or altering Medicaid eligibility thresholds for this group, potentially reducing barriers to Medicaid access for them.

Key provisions and changes

  • Amendment to Title XVI of the Social Security Act: The core legal change is to redefine the treatment of certain child’s insurance beneficiaries in the Medicaid eligibility determination process.
  • Treatment as SSI for Medicaid: Recipients of child’s insurance benefits would be considered as though they are receiving SSI benefits when evaluating whether they qualify for Medicaid.
  • No explicit change to SSI program itself: The bill’s provisions focus on how income/benefit status under title XVI interacts with Medicaid eligibility, not on altering SSI benefits or administration directly.
  • Administration and implementation details: The text of the bill would specify how agencies allocate and verify that these individuals meet the SSI-like criterion for Medicaid purposes, though exact administrative procedures are not described in the summary provided.

Who would be affected

  • Individuals currently receiving child’s insurance benefits under title XVI who are subjects of Medicaid eligibility determinations.
  • State Medicaid programs, which would apply the revised federal standard when assessing applicants from this group.
  • Federal agencies administering Social Security title XVI benefits or Medicaid eligibility rules, which would need to coordinate to implement the new treatment rule.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Introduced: July 22, 2026.
  • Referral: Committee on Ways and Means and Committee on Energy and Commerce (for consideration of provisions within their jurisdiction).
  • Next steps: Committee consideration, potential markup, and eventual floor action in the House, followed by potential Senate action and presidential assent. Any enactment would require passage by both chambers and signature into law.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Access to Medicaid: If individuals are treated as SSI for Medicaid purposes, some currently ineligible individuals might gain Medicaid eligibility or experience changes in eligibility determinations.
  • Administrative alignment: States would need to adjust eligibility workflows to apply the policy consistently for this subgroup.
  • Budgetary effects: The bill could affect federal and state Medicaid spending and possibly Social Security administration costs, depending on changes in enrollment and benefit interactions.
  • Data and verification: Agencies would require reliable methods to verify SSI-like status for title XVI recipients to ensure proper Medicaid determinations.

If you’d like, I can compare this bill to existing Medicaid-SSI interplay rules or provide a side-by-side with current eligibility criteria to illustrate the practical differences.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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