Congress·In Committee·H.R. 6364
Kidd’s Stuttering Act
Rep. McDowell Introduces Kidd’s Stuttering Act to Expand Medicaid Coverage for Speech Therapy
This bill is currently in the early stages of the legislative process after being sent to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce for review. It is considered active, but no future hearings or votes have been scheduled yet. There is no companion bill mentioned at this time.
Legislative Progress
House
Key Points
- Starting January 1, 2027, Medicaid and CHIP must cover speech therapy for children with stuttering and other childhood-onset fluency disorders. This ensures that low-income families can access treatment that some states may currently limit or exclude.
From policy text
“beginning on January 1, 2027, specified speech therapy services (as defined in subsection (ll)); and”
View in full text - By 2027, well-child visits under Medicaid must include screening for stuttering in children ages 2 through 5. Early detection during routine checkups helps identify kids who need help before speech patterns become harder to change.
From policy text
“beginning January 1, 2027, for children who have attained the age of 2 (and have not attained the age of 6), screening for childhood-onset fluency disorders, including stuttering.”
View in full text - States cannot place stricter limits on stuttering therapy than they do on therapy for other speech problems like articulation or language disorders. This parity requirement prevents Medicaid programs from treating stuttering as a lesser condition.
From policy text
“provide that the treatment limitations applicable to specified speech therapy services (as defined in section 1905(ll)) are no more restrictive than the treatment limitations applicable to any speech therapy services for the treatment of expressive language disorder, receptive language disorder, mixed expressive and receptive language disorder, or articulation”
View in full text - Speech therapy sessions for stuttering can be delivered through telehealth, using real-time video and audio technology. This is especially helpful for families in rural areas or those who have trouble traveling to see a specialist in person.
From policy text
“includes such services delivered through real-time, audio and video telecommunications technology.”
View in full text - The HHS Secretary must update the core child health quality measures to include screening for childhood-onset fluency disorders by January 1, 2026, establishing a federal standard for tracking how well states identify stuttering in young children.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
Scores: 1 = low, 5 = highSentiment: -5 to +5 (net benefit)
Milestones
2 milestones2 actions
Dec 2, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Dec 2, 2025
Introduced in House
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Kidd’s Stuttering Act
Bill NumberHR 6364
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReferred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(8)D: 4R: 4
Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.