Senate Bill No. 1473, also known as Public Act No. 25-63, mandates that the Commissioner of Social Services provide Medicaid coverage for gene therapies that have been approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) specifically for the treatment of sickle cell disease. This new provision is effective immediately upon passage of the bill. Additionally, the commissioner is required to pursue federal initiatives aimed at enhancing cost-effective access to these therapies, including participation in the Cell and Gene Therapy Access Model managed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Furthermore, the bill stipulates that by January 1, 2026, the commissioner must submit a report to the relevant joint standing committee of the General Assembly. This report will detail efforts to improve access to the therapies, the number of Medicaid recipients who have benefited from the coverage, the financial implications for the state in providing these therapies, and the estimated state appropriations necessary to sustain this coverage. There are no deletions from current law noted in this bill, as it introduces new legal language to establish these requirements.