Improving Access to Advance Care Planning Act

This bill expands Medicare coverage for advance care planning services, which help individuals discuss future healthcare preferences and complete advance directives. Starting January 1, 2026, Medicare will cover 100% of these services - no deductibles or coinsurance - for beneficiaries, with providers including physicians, nurse practitioners, and clinical social workers using HCPCS codes 99497/99498. It requires HHS to conduct outreach to providers about this new coverage and mandates a MedPAC study analyzing how these services are provided and billed under Medicare. The policy directly affects Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and healthcare providers who offer these counseling sessions.