Due Process Continuity of Care Act
Key claim: HR1510 would allow states to optionally provide Medicaid benefits to pretrial detainees and offers state planning grants to support implementation.
Abstract
(HR1510 · 119th Congress) Due Process Continuity of Care Act This bill allows an otherwise eligible individual who is in custody pending disposition of charges (i.e., pretrial detainees) to receive Medicaid benefits at the option of the state. The bill also provides for state planning grants to support the provision of such benefits. Latest action (2025-09-08): ASSUMING FIRST SPONSORSHIP - Ms. Dexter asked unanimous consent that she may hereafter be considered as the first sponsor of H.R. 1510, a bill originally introduced by Representative Turner (TX), for the purpose of adding cosponsors and requesting reprintings pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII. Agreed to without objection.
Why this matters
The Medicaid Inmate Exclusion Policy currently terminates Medicaid benefits for people in custody, including those held pretrial who have not been convicted — a due-process concern given the presumption of innocence and the disproportionate detention of low-income and minority defendants unable to post bail. HR1510 would let states restore coverage during pretrial detention, with practical effects on continuity of chronic disease, mental health, and substance use treatment during a period linked to elevated overdose and suicide risk.