AN ACT CONCERNING MEDICAID COVERAGE OF RAPID WHOLE GENOME SEQUENCING FOR CRITICALLY ILL INFANTS AND STUDIES CONCERNING THE ELIMINATION OR REDUCTION OF THE KATIE BECKETT WAIVER PROGRAM WAITING LIST AND MEDICAID COVERAGE OF DIAPERS.

This bill mandates that Medicaid cover rapid whole genome sequencing tests for critically ill infants in neonatal intensive care units to help diagnose genetic disorders quickly. It requires providers to ensure the genetic data is used solely for the infant's treatment, protected under privacy laws, and not used for research without parental consent. To qualify for this coverage, infants must have complex or acute illnesses of unknown cause, and their doctors must determine that this specific test is necessary to guide medical decisions. The state may need to seek federal approval or amend its Medicaid plan to implement these new coverage rules, which will take effect on July 1, 2024.