Mental Health Access Improvement Act of 2021 This bill provides for coverage of marriage and family therapist services and mental health counselor services under Medicare. It also excludes such services from the skilled nursing facility prospective payment system, and authorizes marriage and family therapists and mental health counselors to develop discharge plans for post-hospital services.
Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2021 This bill increases the number of residency positions eligible for graduate medical education payments under Medicare for qualifying hospitals, including hospitals in rural areas and health professional shortage areas. Current law provides for an increase of up to 200 positions per fiscal year beginning in FY2023, with a total increase of 1,000 positions; each hospital may receive up to 25 additional positions. The bill provides for an additional increase of 2,000 positions per fiscal year from FY2023-FY2029; during this period, each hospital may receive up to 75 additional positions in total under the bill and current law. The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to report on strategies to increase the diversity of the health professional workforce, including with respect to representation from rural, low-income, and minority communities.
Jumpstart Our Businesses by Supporting Students Act of 2021 or the JOBS Act of 2021 This bill expands student eligibility for Pell Grants by establishing the Job Training Federal Pell Grant program. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Education to award a job training Pell Grant to a student who does not have a degree; attends an institution of higher education (IHE); is enrolled in a career and technical education program at an IHE that provides 150 to 600 clock hours of instructional time over a period of 8 to 15 weeks and provides training aligned with high-skill, high-wage, or in-demand industry sectors (i.e., job training programs); and meets all other eligibility requirements for a Pell Grant. It also specifies that any period during which a student receives a job training Pell Grant counts toward that student's Pell Grant eligibility period.
Student Loan Tax Elimination Act This bill eliminates the origination fee on federal student loans. Origination fees are the fees lenders charge for processing new loan applications.
Personal Health Investment Today Act of 2021 or the PHIT Act of 2021 This bill allows a medical care tax deduction for up to $1,000 ($2,000 for a joint return or a head of household) of qualified sports and fitness expenses per year. The bill defines qualified sports and fitness expenses as amounts paid exclusively for participating in a physical activity, including (1) fitness facility memberships, (2) physical exercise or activity programs, or (3) equipment for a physical exercise or activity program.
Empowering Medicare Seniors to Negotiate Drug Prices Act of 2021 This bill allows the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to negotiate drug prices under the Medicare prescription drug benefit and to institute a price structure for the reimbursement of drugs covered under the benefit.
Protecting American Jobs Act This bill limits the authority of the National Labor Relations Board. Specifically, it repeals the authority of the General Counsel ofthe board to issue, and prosecute before the board, complaints of unfair labor practices. The bill also limits the board's rulemaking authority to rules concerning the internal functions of the board and prohibits the board from promulgating regulations affecting the substantive or procedural rights of any person, employer, employee, or labor organization, including rules concerning unfair labor practices and representation elections. Not later than six months after this bill is enacted, the board must review existing regulations and revise or rescind such regulations as necessary to implement these modifications to the board's rulemaking authority. In addition, the bill repeals the board's authority to issue orders preventing unfair labor practices, replacing it with a more limited authority to investigate allegations of such practices. Finally, it repeals the board's authority to petition courts for enforcement of its orders, seek injunctions, or hold hearings on jurisdictional strikes.
Fostering Postsecondary Success for Foster and Homeless Youth Act of 2021 This bill establishes a program through which the Department of Education (ED) must annually recognize institutions of higher education (IHEs) that offer outstanding services and programs to foster care and homeless youth. Further, ED must establish a Center for Fostering Postsecondary Success for Foster and Homeless Youth to assist IHEs with creating and maintaining their programs for these youth.
Saving Us from Pandemic Era Resistance by Building a Unified Global Strategy Act of 2021 or the SUPER BUGS Act of 2021 This bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to seek to enter into agreements with foreign countries to develop and commercialize new drugs to address pandemics. HHS shall report to Congress a strategy for achieving this goal.
Huntington's Disease Disability Insurance Access Act of 2021 This bill expedites payment of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits and eligibility for Medicare coverage for those with Huntington's disease. This is an inherited disorder that causes brain cells to die, including in areas of the brain that help to control voluntary movement. Specifically, the bill eliminates the 5-month waiting period for SSDI benefits and the subsequent 24-month waiting period for Medicare coverage for individuals with Huntington's disease. Under current law, individuals generally must wait five months after the onset of disability to begin receiving SSDI benefits and an additional 24 months to become eligible for Medicare.
Protecting Investors' Personally Identifiable Information Act This bill prohibits the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) from requiring a national securities exchange, association, or a member of either to provide a market participant's personally identifiable information to satisfy the reporting requirements of the Consolidated Audit Trail (which tracks market activity). However, this information must be provided to the SEC upon request. The SEC must destroy the information not later than one day after the conclusion of the matter for which this information was required.
Let States Cut Taxes Act This bill removes a prohibition on states and territories using COVID-19 (i.e., coronavirus disease 2019) relief funding under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to offset a reduction in revenue resulting from a reduction in taxes or a delay in the imposition of a tax or tax increase.
