Improving Opportunities for New Americans Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Labor to study and report on the factors affecting employment opportunities for immigrants and refugees with professional credentials obtained in other counties, including policy recommendations for assisting those individuals in obtaining skill-appropriate employment in the United States.
Expand American Educational Opportunity Act of 2021 This bill replaces the Hope Scholarship and Lifetime Learning tax credits with a modified American Opportunity Tax Credit that (1) allows an income tax credit of up to $2,500 of the qualified tuition and related expenses of a student who is carrying at least one half of a normal course load, (2) allows a lifetime dollar limitation for the credit of $15,000 for all taxable years, and (3) increases the refundable portion of the credit to a maximum of $1,500. The bill defines qualified tuition and related expenses as tuition, fees, computer or peripheral equipment, child and dependent care expenses, and course materials for the taxpayer, the taxpayer's spouse, and dependents at certain postsecondary educational institutions. The bill also allows an exclusion from gross income, for income tax purposes, of any amount received as a Federal Pell Grant.
Better Care Better Jobs Act This bill establishes programs and provides funds for state Medicaid programs to improve home- and community-based services (HCBS), such as home health care, personal care, case management, and rehabilitative services. Specifically, the bill provides funds for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to award planning grants, develop quality measures, and provide technical assistance to states regarding specified HCBS improvements, particularly with respect to access, utilization, and the associated workforce. The bill also increases the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (i.e., federal matching rate) for HCBS in states that develop plans and meet specified benchmarks for improvements. The bill also makes permanent (1) the Money Follows the Person Rebalancing Demonstration Program (a grant program to help states increase the use of HCBS for long-term care and decrease the use of institutional care), and (2) certain provisions regarding Medicaid eligibility that protect against spousal impoverishment for recipients of HCBS.
Verifying Accurate Leading-edge IVCT Development Act of 2021 or the VALID Act of 2021 This bill requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate in vitro clinical tests (IVCTs). Currently, the FDA and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have authority to regulate in vitro diagnostic devices. The bill defines IVCTs, which includes in vitro diagnostic devices, as tests intended for the collection, preparation, analysis, or in vitro clinical examination of specimens from the human body to provide information about a disease, condition, or treatment. An IVCT may not be introduced into interstate commerce unless it has received FDA premarket approval or is covered by certain exemptions, such as an exemption for a test that (1) was developed and introduced before this bill's enactment and meets certain requirements, (2) is a low-risk test, (3) is solely for public health surveillance, (4) is covered by a technology certification issued under this bill, or (5) has received a humanitarian exemption or emergency use authorization. The FDA may grant upon application a technology certification. Generally, such a certification covers a group of tests that use a single technology and may be evaluated using a representative test. While such a certification is valid, a qualifying IVCT that falls within the scope of the certification shall be cleared for interstate commerce. The bill also imposes various requirements related to IVCTs, including those related to quality control, labeling, and reporting adverse events. The FDA shall have various enforcement authority, including authority to order the recall of an IVCT with a reasonable probability of causing serious adverse health consequences.
Allergy Testing Access Act of 2021 This bill requires equal coverage of two types of allergy tests under Medicaid and Medicare. Specifically, in vitro specific IgE tests (blood tests) and percutaneous tests (skin tests) must be treated equally with respect to (1) medical necessity or other coverage requirements, (2) frequency limits, and (3) allergen unit limits.
Expanding Health Care Options for Early Retirees Act This bill establishes a Medicare buy-in option for certain qualifying first responders. Specifically, the bill allows first responders aged 50 to 64 to enroll in Medicare if they are retired or otherwise separated from service due to a disability. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) must determine enrollment periods and set premiums for the buy-in option established under the bill, in accordance with specified requirements. The CMS must also award grants to states and nonprofit organizations for outreach and enrollment activities relating to the buy-in option.
Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act of 20 21 This bill prohibits commercial conversion therapy, which is a practice or treatment designed to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity or otherwise change behaviors, thoughts, or expressions related to gender or sexual attraction. This prohibition does not apply to treatment that assists an individual undergoing a gender transition or facilitates identity exploration and development.
Medication Access and Training Expansion Act of 2021 or the MATE Act of 2021 This bill requires health care providers, as a condition of receiving or renewing a registration to prescribe potentially addictive drugs, to complete a one-time training on managing patients with substance use disorders. In addition, the Department of Health and Human Services must award grants to health professional associations and education programs for integrating substance use disorder training into relevant curricula.
Verifying Accurate Leading-edge IVCT Development Act of 2021 or the VALID Act of 2021 This bill requires the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regulate in vitro clinical tests (IVCTs). Currently, the FDA and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services have authority to regulate in vitro diagnostic devices. The bill defines IVCTs, which includes in vitro diagnostic devices, as tests intended for the collection, preparation, analysis, or in vitro clinical examination of specimens from the human body to provide information about a disease, condition, or treatment. An IVCT may not be introduced into interstate commerce unless it has received FDA premarket approval or is covered by certain exemptions, such as an exemption for a test that (1) was developed and introduced before this bill's enactment and meets certain requirements, (2) is a low-risk test, (3) is solely for public health surveillance, (4) is covered by a technology certification issued under this bill, or (5) has received a humanitarian exemption or emergency use authorization. The FDA may grant upon application a technology certification. Generally, such a certification covers a group of tests that use a single technology and may be evaluated using a representative test. While such a certification is valid, a qualifying IVCT that falls within the scope of the certification shall be cleared for interstate commerce. The bill also imposes various requirements related to IVCTs, including those related to quality control, labeling, and reporting adverse events. The FDA shall have various enforcement authority, including authority to order the recall of an IVCT with a reasonable probability of causing serious adverse health consequences.
Prevent All Soring Tactics Act of 2021 or the PAST Act of 2021 This bill addresses the practice of soring horses. The soring of horses includes various actions taken on horses' limbs to produce higher gaits that may cause pain, distress, inflammation, or lameness. Specifically, the bill expands soring regulation and enforcement at horse shows, exhibitions, sales, and auctions, including by establishing a new system for inspecting horses for soring. In addition, the bill increases penalties for violations.
Highway Formula Modernization Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to study the methods and data used to apportion certain federal-aid highway funding and develop recommendations for a new apportionment method. DOT must consult with state departments of transportation and representatives of local governments on the study and recommendations.
Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act of 20 21 This bill prohibits commercial conversion therapy, which is a practice or treatment designed to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity or otherwise change behaviors, thoughts, or expressions related to gender or sexual attraction. This prohibition does not apply to treatment that assists an individual undergoing a gender transition or facilitates identity exploration and development.
