HR 1691 United States House · 118th Congress

Ensuring Patient Access to Critical Breakthrough Products Act of 2024

This bill creates a 4-year transitional coverage period for Medicare to automatically cover "breakthrough medical devices" - new FDA-prioritized devices approved after March 2021 - as "reasonable and necessary" for treatment. During this period, these devices qualify for additional payments under Medicare's hospital and outpatient payment systems without requiring separate approval. After the 4-year period, Medicare must develop regular coverage based on additional data, with automatic coverage for all approved uses if no action is taken within two years. The bill requires Medicare to assign unique codes for these devices within three months of FDA approval and to update payment systems regularly. It also includes special provisions for "specified breakthrough devices" that lack existing Medicare benefit categories, requiring reports on their impact and cost to Congress.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2023
Committee Review
Floor Vote
President
Introduced Mar 22, 2023 Last action Dec 24, 2024
Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
10
Key actions
5
Committee
7
Amendments
1
Dec 24, 2024
Lower · Passed
Committee on Energy and Commerce discharged.
lower
Dec 24, 2024
Lower · Passed
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Ways and Means. H. Rept. 118-952, Part I.
lower
Jun 27, 2024
Introduced
Ordered to be Reported in the Nature of a Substitute (Amended) by the Yeas and Nays: 36 - 5.
lower
Jun 27, 2024
Lower · Passed
Committee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
lower
Nov 15, 2023
Lower · Passed
Forwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by the Yeas and Nays: 21 - 6.
lower
Nov 15, 2023
Lower · Passed
Subcommittee Consideration and Mark-up Session Held
lower
Mar 31, 2023
Committee
Referred to the Subcommittee on Health.
lower
Mar 22, 2023
Committee
Referred to the Committee on Ways and Means, and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
lower
Mar 22, 2023
Introduced
Introduced in House
lower
1 primary · 89 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Brad R. Wenstrup
Brad R. Wenstrup
RRepublican
OH
2
Co
Photo of A. Drew Ferguson IV
A. Drew Ferguson IV
RRepublican
GA
3
Co
Photo of Adrian Smith
Adrian Smith
RRepublican
NE
3
Co
Photo of Ami Bera
Ami Bera
DDemocratic
CA
6
Co
Photo of Andy Barr
Andy Barr
RRepublican
KY
6
Co
Photo of Angie Craig
Angie Craig
DDemocratic
MN
2
Co
Photo of Ann M. Kuster
Ann M. Kuster
DDemocratic
NH
2
Co
Photo of Anna G. Eshoo
Anna G. Eshoo
DDemocratic
CA
16
Co
Photo of Beth Van Duyne
Beth Van Duyne
RRepublican
TX
24
Co
Photo of Bill Johnson
Bill Johnson
RRepublican
OH
6
Co
Photo of Blake D. Moore
Blake D. Moore
RRepublican
UT
1