Sens. Scott, Booker Spearhead Legislation to Increase Access to Comprehensive Care for Sickle Cell Patients

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Senator Cory Booker (D-N.J.) introduced the Sickle Cell Disease Comprehensive Care Act. The legislation would allow State Medicaid programs to provide comprehensive care to sickle cell disease (SCD) patients through a health home model. Health homes have been used by state Medicaid programs to provide coordinated care through a provider team model to patients with chronic conditions. Health home services include care management, care coordination, and patient-family support services.

“Nearly 100,000 Americans have sickle cell disease—many of whom are left without access to consistent care,” said Senator Scott. “I am glad to work on this bipartisan legislation to help treat this disease that affects thousands of Americans from minority communities. Creating access to high-quality comprehensive care to avoid costly emergency room visits continues to be a top priority of mine for folks facing diseases like SCD.”

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), around 50% of people with sickle cell disease are on Medicaid. Due to limited access to care, many SCD patients have difficulty managing their symptoms which ultimately results in costly emergency department visits and worsened health outcomes. The senators’ legislation directs CMS to establish a SCD Health Home to improve access to high-quality, outpatient care for Medicaid beneficiaries with SCD in states that submit a state plan amendment (SPA).

The text of the legislation can be found here.

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