By January 1, 2025, the authority shall submit a state plan amendment to the federal centers for medicare and medicaid services to allow medicaid-eligible children with medically complex conditions to voluntarily enroll in a health home as provided in section 3 of the medicaid services investment and accountability act of 2019 (P.L. 116-16).

Findings—Intent—2024 c 177: "(1) The legislature finds that:

(a) Children with medical complexity deserve coordinated and effective care delivered in a high quality setting. Families should be able to focus solely on their child's needs and not waste precious time fighting a fragmented care system or the complexities of medicaid;

(b) In 2019, the federal government adopted the advancing care for exceptional kids act to address these concerns. This law created a new health home model that will coordinate prompt care for children with medically complex conditions, develop an individualized, comprehensive, pediatric, family-centered care plan, coordinate access to subspecialized care, and coordinate appropriate care with out-of-state providers; and

(c) The federal law provides health homes with a higher federal matching rate, making this proposal beneficial to Washington's children with medical complexities while also being financially prudent.

(2) The legislature, therefore, intends to actively support these medically complex children by taking the steps necessary to implement health homes in Washington." [ 2024 c 177 s 1.]