Healthcare (Medicare)

in committee · United States · House Apr 16, 2026

HR 8355: Accountable Produce is Medicine Act of 2026

The "Accountable Produce is Medicine Act of 2026" mandates the creation of a new pilot program within the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. This program requires selected healthcare providers to offer a comprehensive set of "Accountable Produce is Medicine services" to eligible Medicare, Medicaid, and CHIP beneficiaries. These services, provided without patient cost-sharing, include healthy foods (like fruits and vegetables), nutrition counseling, care coordination, and remote monitoring for individuals with specific chronic diseases in underserved areas. Participating programs will screen patients, deliver these services for a year, and track health data to evaluate outcomes and cost savings over a period of at least five years.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates pilot program providing free healthy foods, nutrition counseling, and care coordination to Medicare/Medicaid beneficiaries, expanding health services and access.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Children's Health Medicaid Medicare

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in committee · United States · House Apr 14, 2026

HR 8271: ICU Bed Act of 2026

The ICU Bed Act of 2026 mandates that hospitals, critical access hospitals, and rural emergency hospitals participating in Medicare report their intensive care unit (ICU) bed availability in real time. To achieve this, these facilities must participate in shared regional data systems and develop shared strategies for efficiently transferring patients when any hospital approaches ICU capacity. The Secretary of Health and Human Services will establish these regions based on factors like geography, population, and travel time between facilities. Additionally, the bill amends the Public Health Service Act to include efficient patient transfer activities in state and regional hospital preparedness efforts, extending funding for these activities through fiscal year 2031.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill improves patient access to ICU care through real-time reporting and regional data systems, strengthening healthcare infrastructure.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Medicare Public Health

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in committee · United States · House May 21, 2026

HR 8163: Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026

This bill, the Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026, aims to create more predictable payment adjustments for physicians and other healthcare providers under the Medicare program. It directly affects medical practices and providers who receive reimbursement for services through the physician fee schedule. The legislation increases a threshold for certain budget neutrality calculations from $20 million to $54.3 million in 2027, with automatic increases every five years thereafter. It also requires the government to correct payment estimates when actual service usage differs significantly from projections, mandates regular updates to cost calculations for practice expenses, and limits how much Medicare payment rates can change from year to year to a maximum of 2.5 percent.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill increases Medicare reimbursement thresholds for healthcare providers, aiming to create more predictable payment adjustments and protect provider financial stability.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicare

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in committee · United States · House Mar 20, 2026

HR 8032: FAIC Act

The FAIC Act requires Medicare to pay separately for certain high-cost cancer treatments starting in 2026, rather than bundling them into general outpatient service payments. This change applies to FDA-approved cancer drugs and biologics that do not receive special transitional payments and cost at least $350 per day. The separate payment amount will be based on the drug's average sales price or, if unavailable, its wholesale acquisition cost or mean unit cost. The law includes a budget neutrality provision to ensure total Medicare spending remains unchanged by adjusting other payments as needed.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill expands Medicare payment structure for high-cost cancer treatments, improving patient access to necessary care and strengthening healthcare funding for oncology services85% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicare

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in committee · United States · Senate Mar 25, 2026

S 4202: Mental Health Access and Provider Support Act of 2026

The Mental Health Access and Provider Support Act of 2026 increases Medicare reimbursement rates for psychologists by raising payment percentages from 75 percent to 85 percent of the standard fee schedule. This change directly affects Medicare beneficiaries and psychologists who provide mental health services under the Medicare program. The higher payment rates apply to services furnished on or after January 1, 2027, aiming to improve access to mental health care by increasing provider compensation.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill increases Medicare reimbursement rates for psychologists, improving access to mental health services and strengthening provider support.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicare Mental Health

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in committee · United States · House Mar 25, 2026

HR 8091: Outpatient Surgery Access Act of 2026

This bill, the Outpatient Surgery Access Act of 2026, changes how Medicare calculates payment updates for surgeries performed at outpatient surgical centers. Starting in 2027, these centers will receive annual payment increases that match the updates given to other outpatient hospital services, rather than using a separate calculation method. The legislation also removes a specific budget neutrality adjustment that previously limited payment increases for these facilities and ensures that spending data from the new payment system is included in future budget calculations. These changes directly affect Medicare reimbursement rates for outpatient surgical procedures without altering the underlying services provided.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill increases Medicare payments for outpatient surgery centers, improving access to surgical services and strengthening healthcare funding.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Medicare

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in committee · United States · House Dec 15, 2025

HR 6721: MAP for Care Act

This bill establishes a Medicare Advance Directive Certification Program to help Medicare beneficiaries create and manage legally recognized advance directives that outline their medical care preferences. The program would require participating vendors to meet strict accreditation standards for security, privacy, and accessibility while allowing beneficiaries to voluntarily enroll and update their documents online. Key provisions include mandatory notifications to Medicare enrollees, federal oversight of vendor compliance, and the availability of state-compliant advance directive forms on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services website. The legislation does not preempt state laws and ensures that certified directives remain accessible to healthcare providers and designated family members when needed.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill establishes program to help Medicare beneficiaries create advance directives, protecting patient rights and improving healthcare access through voluntary enrollment and secure online management.85% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill mandates security, privacy, and accessibility standards for vendors, protecting beneficiary data while enabling online document management.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Medicare

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in committee · United States · House Mar 27, 2026

HR 8143: Ensuring Access to Lower-Cost Medicines for Seniors Act of 2026.

This bill requires Medicare Part D prescription drug plans to include certain lower-cost generic drugs and biosimilar biological products in preferred positions on their formularies starting in 2027. It mandates that these lower-cost alternatives be placed on more favorable tiers with reduced out-of-pocket costs compared to their brand-name counterparts. Additionally, the legislation prohibits plans from imposing stricter access restrictions, such as prior authorization or step therapy, on these lower-cost options than those applied to the original brand-name drugs. The measure directly affects Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Part D plans and the insurance sponsors who manage those formularies.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill improves patient access to lower-cost medicines and reduces out-of-pocket costs for seniors through Medicare Part D reforms.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicare Prescription Drugs Tags Seniors

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in committee · United States · House Mar 12, 2026

HR 7909: Medicare Expansion and Lowering Costs Now Act

This bill creates a Medicare buy-in option for individuals aged 50 to 64 who would qualify for Medicare at age 65 but are not yet eligible, allowing them to enroll in Medicare Parts A, B, and D with premiums based on average costs and geographic adjustments. It also establishes a new voluntary supplemental insurance program for current Medicare beneficiaries to help cover deductibles and copayments, starting in 2027, and requires the government to negotiate lower drug prices for Medicare Part D plans beginning in 2029. The legislation creates a reinsurance fund to stabilize health insurance premiums in the individual market for high-cost enrollees starting in 2025 and extends risk corridor reauthorization through 2031. Additionally, the bill increases eligibility for premium tax credits to cover individuals with household incomes up to 400% of the poverty line and repeals certain reconciliation provisions from a previous law.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill expands Medicare coverage to ages 50-64 and creates supplemental insurance, directly advancing healthcare access and reducing costs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Medicaid Medicare

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in committee · United States · House Mar 26, 2026

HR 8109: Save Struggling Hospitals Act

The Save Struggling Hospitals Act adjusts Medicare reimbursement rates for hospitals in low-wage areas to help them remain financially viable. It directly affects hospitals located in regions where the average hospital wages fall below the 25th percentile nationally. The bill increases the area wage index for these struggling hospitals by half the difference between their current index and the 25th percentile threshold, starting with discharges on or after October 1, 2019. These adjustments are designed to be budget neutral, meaning the increased payments to low-wage hospitals are offset by reductions elsewhere without decreasing payments to hospitals in the top 75th percentile or reducing any hospital's payment by more than 5 percent from the previous year.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill increases Medicare reimbursement rates for hospitals in low-wage areas, providing additional funding to support essential healthcare services and maintain hospital viability.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill increases Medicare reimbursement rates for hospitals in low-wage areas, strengthening financial viability and protecting healthcare access in struggling regions.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill increases Medicare reimbursement rates for hospitals in low-wage areas, indirectly supporting workers by helping maintain hospital financial viability and potentially preserving jobs in struggling regions.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Medicare

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