Bill · S. 5172· Senate(119-S-5172)
Kidd’s Stuttering Act
- Introduced
- 7/29/2026
- Last activity
- 7/29/2026 — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- Sponsored by
- Jim Banks
- Cosponsors
- - 0 - 2
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Kidd's Stuttering Act aims to amend the Social Security Act regarding speech therapy and screenings. It requires the Secretary to include screening for childhood-onset fluency disorders, such as stuttering, in the core set of child health quality measures by January 1, 2028. The bill also mandates that Medicaid well-child visits include these screenings for children aged 2 to 6 starting January 1, 2029. Additionally, it requires Medicaid and CHIP to cover specified speech therapy services for certain individuals. These services include the treatment of childhood-onset fluency disorders for those under age 21. The Act also establishes parity requirements for these speech therapy services.
Yes· 3 of 8
Would children be better off under this?+8
The bill mandates speech screenings and coverage for young children.
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?+7
The bill enhances Medicaid and CHIP coverage for speech therapy services.
Would people with disabilities be better off under this?+7
The bill improves access to essential speech therapy services for those with fluency disorders.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Expanded Screening for Early Detection: The bill mandates that the Secretary include measures for screening childhood-onset fluency disorders, including stuttering, for children between the ages of 2 and 6 (Section 2(a)). Additionally, it requires these screenings to be included in Medicaid well-child visits beginning January 1, 2029 (Section 2(b)).
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Improved Access to Speech Therapy: The Act requires Medicaid to cover "specified speech therapy services," which include treatment for childhood-onset fluency disorders for individuals under 21 years of age (Section 2(c)(1)(A)(ii)).
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Flexible Service Delivery: The bill specifies that these speech therapy services can be delivered through real-time, audio, and video telecommunications technology (Section 2(c)(1)(A)(ii)).
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Guaranteed Treatment Parity: The bill ensures that treatment limitations for specified speech therapy services are no more restrictive than those for other speech therapy services like expressive or receptive language disorders (Section 2(c)(1)(A)(i)). It also establishes parity requirements for Medicaid managed care organizations and other entities (Section 2(c)(1)(C)).
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Coverage Under CHIP: The Act requires that child health assistance provided to targeted low-income children under CHIP include coverage for specified speech therapy services starting January 1, 2029 (Section 2(c)(2)(A)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No specific negative impacts or burdens are explicitly stated in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Children+8Good For Low Income Households+7Good For People With Disabilities+7Good For Young Adults+5Good For Students+4
- Healthcare
- Improves Healthcare Access+7Increases Medicaid Funding+5
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Disability Rights+6
- 7/29/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance.
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
John FettermanDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Andy KimDemocrat · New Jersey