Healthcare (Medicare)

in committee · United States · House Jul 29, 2025

HR 4792: Protecting Air Ambulance Services for Americans Act of 2025

This bill amends Medicare rules to improve payment for air ambulance services. It requires air ambulance providers to submit detailed cost and revenue data every three years (including fixed costs per base, utilization rates, and revenue) to the Medicare Secretary. The Secretary must then revise fee schedules based on this data and stakeholder input, aiming to better align payments with actual costs. A separate provision mandates the GAO to study average operating costs, payment adequacy, geographic variations, and make recommendations within one year of data collection starting. The bill directly affects Medicare beneficiaries using air ambulances and the providers operating those services.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAmends Medicare payment rules to align fees with actual costs, promoting fiscal responsibility in government spending for essential services.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAmends Medicare to improve air ambulance payments via data-driven fee adjustments, ensuring service viability and access to emergency healthcare services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Medicaid Medicare

Track

in committee · United States · Senate Jan 30, 2025

S 339: A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for Medicare coverage of multi-cancer early detection screening tests.

Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act This bill allows, beginning in 2028, for Medicare coverage and payment for multi-cancer early detection screening tests that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration and that are used to screen for cancer across many cancer types, if the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services determines such coverage is appropriate. Coverage is limited to those under a certain age (age 68 in 2028, increased by one year every year thereafter) and to one test every 11 months.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands Medicare coverage for multi-cancer screening tests, increasing patient access to early detection services under FDA approval.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Medicare

Track

in committee · United States · House Nov 20, 2025

HR 6218: HEAR Act of 2025

The HEAR Act of 2025 adds Medicare coverage for hearing rehabilitation services and hearing aids. It directly affects Medicare beneficiaries with hearing loss who need new devices or services, requiring a comprehensive assessment and meeting specific criteria (like not having received hearing aids in the past three years). Key provisions include defining "hearing rehabilitation" to cover audiologist assessments, counseling, and device fitting, and specifying that covered hearing aids must meet FDA standards (excluding over-the-counter models). The bill also removes previous exclusions that blocked this coverage. These changes apply to services provided after a date set by the Health and Human Services Secretary, starting no earlier than January 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExpands Medicare coverage for hearing rehabilitation and hearing aids, increasing federal government spending on essential healthcare services for beneficiaries.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAdds Medicare coverage for hearing aids and rehabilitation services, expanding access for beneficiaries with hearing loss.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicare

Track

in committee · United States · House Apr 24, 2025

HR 3019: Holding Nonprofit Hospitals Accountable Act

HR 3019, the Holding Nonprofit Hospitals Accountable Act, requires nonprofit hospitals receiving tax exemptions to meet new community benefit standards. It mandates these hospitals to have community-elected boards, treat patients using public programs (like Medicare/Medicaid) without limiting numbers, and spend at least 100% of their annual tax exemptions on specific community services - including patient care training, facility upgrades, and free/discounted care. The bill also requires hospitals to follow Medicare billing rates for financial assistance and establishes annual reviews by the Treasury Inspector General and GAO to monitor compliance and enforcement. These changes apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025, directly affecting nonprofit hospitals that operate under IRS 501(c)(3) status.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill mandates tax-exempt hospitals spend 100% of tax exemptions on community services, promoting fiscal accountability and public investment through tax benefit conditions.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates nonprofit hospitals to provide free/discounted care, treat Medicare/Medicaid patients without limits, and spend tax exemptions on community health services, expanding access and funding.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Medicaid Medicare

Track

in committee · United States · House Jan 16, 2025

HR 500: Medicare Hearing Aid Coverage Act of 2025

HR 500, the Medicare Hearing Aid Coverage Act of 2025, removes Medicare's longstanding exclusion of hearing aids and related examinations from coverage. This change would directly affect Medicare beneficiaries with hearing loss by allowing them to receive coverage for hearing aids starting January 1, 2026. The bill amends the Social Security Act to eliminate the specific exclusion, making hearing aid coverage a standard Medicare benefit. Additionally, it requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study existing hearing aid programs and submit a report with recommendations to Congress within 18 months of the effective date.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill removes Medicare exclusion of hearing aids, expanding coverage for beneficiaries with hearing loss by making it a standard benefit starting 2026.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicare

Track

in committee · United States · House Nov 19, 2025

HR 6157: FORCE Act of 2025

The FORCE Act of 2025 allows eligible first responders to enroll in Medicare at age 57 instead of the standard 65. To qualify, individuals must be between 57 and 64 years old, have worked 10+ years in specific first responder occupations (identified by Bureau of Labor Statistics codes like 33-1010 or 33-2000), and not yet qualify for standard Medicare at age 65. The bill establishes a new Medicare benefit section with premiums based on standard Part B/A costs, funded through a dedicated "Medicare First Responder Trust Fund." It ensures these enrollees receive full Medicare benefits, including prescription drug coverage, without affecting existing Medicare or Medicaid eligibility.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands Medicare eligibility for first responders to age 57, providing earlier health insurance coverage. Directly advances healthcare access for a specific group through expanded coverage.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands Medicare access for first responders (specific worker group), providing earlier healthcare benefits which aligns with expanding worker benefits.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Medicare Prescription Drugs

Track

in committee · United States · Senate Dec 17, 2025

S 3532: State Veterans Homes Inspection Simplification Act

This bill allows state veterans homes certified by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to be automatically deemed compliant with Medicare’s nursing home standards, eliminating redundant inspections. It requires the VA to provide documentation of inspections, undergo biennial joint reviews with Medicare officials to confirm alignment, and maintain the same care and safety standards as Medicare requires. The bill also mandates that VA inspection data for these homes be publicly reported on the Nursing Home Care Compare website. This applies to all state veterans homes meeting the defined standards, effective 90 days after enactment.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill streamlines VA-certified veterans homes' compliance with Medicare standards, maintaining care/safety requirements while eliminating redundant inspections, improving operational efficiency for healthcare facilities.92% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransEliminates redundant inspections for VA-certified veterans homes while maintaining Medicare care standards and requiring public reporting, streamlining compliance without reducing quality.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care Medicare Memorials & Recognition Veteran Healthcare Veteran Housing

Track

in committee · United States · House Jul 10, 2025

HR 4345: To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand the definition of critical access hospital under the Medicare program to include certain hospitals on Indian reservations.

This bill (HR 4345) expands Medicare's definition of "critical access hospitals" to include certain hospitals located on Indian reservations, effective August 1, 2025. It directly affects these reservation hospitals by allowing states to designate them as critical access hospitals without needing to meet the usual distance requirement from other hospitals. Key provisions include waiving the distance rule for reservation facilities and permitting them to establish psychiatric or rehabilitation units without being limited by the standard bed count restrictions. This change aims to improve access to Medicare-covered services for patients at these reservation hospitals.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands Medicare coverage for reservation hospitals by removing distance barriers, improving access to critical care services and psychiatric/rehabilitation programs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Medicare Mental Health Tags Tribal Nations

Track

in committee · United States · House Jul 10, 2025

HR 4317: PBM Reform Act of 2025

The PBM Reform Act of 2025 aims to increase transparency and fairness in pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) operations within Medicare Part D and Medicaid programs. The bill requires Medicare Part D plans to allow any pharmacy meeting standard terms to join their networks, establishes "essential retail pharmacies" in underserved areas (with limited pharmacy access), and mandates detailed reporting on drug pricing, rebates, and reimbursement rates. It creates a process for pharmacies to report PBM violations of reasonable contract terms and prohibits "spread pricing" in Medicaid, where PBMs retain the difference between what they pay pharmacies and what they charge plans. These provisions aim to improve pharmacy access for Medicare beneficiaries and ensure fairer reimbursement practices for pharmacies.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareIncreases transparency in PBMs, mandates fair pharmacy access in underserved areas, and requires detailed pricing reports to improve patient access and reduce costs in Medicare/Medicaid programs.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Medicare Prescription Drugs

Track

in committee · United States · House Jun 30, 2025

HR 4258: To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to expand the definition of critical access hospital under the Medicare program to include certain hospitals on Indian reservations.

HR 4258 would expand Medicare's critical access hospital (CAH) program to include certain hospitals located on Indian reservations. Starting August 1, 2025, states could designate qualifying reservation hospitals as CAHs if they are more than 35 miles (or 15 miles in mountainous areas) from another reservation hospital or an Indian Health Service/tribal facility. This change would allow these hospitals to receive Medicare reimbursement under CAH rules, which provide higher payment rates for rural facilities. The bill also permits such hospitals to establish psychiatric or rehabilitation units without being restricted by the usual bed count limits for CAHs. This directly affects hospitals on tribal lands seeking improved Medicare funding access.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands Medicare CAH program to include reservation hospitals, enabling higher reimbursement rates for rural/tribal hospitals to maintain services and improve patient access in underserved areas.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Medicare Mental Health Tags Tribal Nations

Track