Committee discusses bill to extend Medicaid coverage to inmates prior to release Emily Boerger | Apr 16, 2021 Share this: The House Energy & Commerce Health Subcommittee discussed the Medicaid Reentry Act of 2021 during a hearing on substance misuse and the opioid epidemic on Wednesday. The bill, which is sponsored by Congressman Paul Tonko, would allow states to make Medicaid coverage available for incarcerated individuals up to 30 days prior to release. Current law doesn’t allow incarcerated individuals to enroll in Medicaid until after being released.
In a letter to Tonko and other members of Congress, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reasoned that allowing coverage prior to release would help connect individuals to care and would reduce recidivism.