Rep. Brittany Pettersen

Maddy summaryHR 8137 would remove a 1997 federal restriction that blocks funding for medical aid-in-dying services. Starting January 1, 2025, it allows federal programs (like veterans' healthcare) to cover information, referrals, or care related to medical aid-in-dying in states that have legalized the practice. This directly affects terminally ill patients in states with existing laws (like Oregon, California, or Washington), enabling them to access federal-funded support for this option. The bill clarifies it does not change the definition of medical aid-in-dying as distinct from euthanasia or assisted suicide.

Maddy summaryHR 7927, the Pink Tariffs Study Act, requires the Treasury Secretary to conduct a study analyzing how U.S. import tariffs impact different consumer groups. The study must examine whether tariffs disproportionately burden basic goods (like mass-market items) versus luxury items, assess potential gender-based tariff biases (such as higher rates on women’s clothing), and break down these effects by gender, household type, and income level. It does not change current tariff rates but mandates a detailed analysis of how tariff costs fall unequally across consumers. The study must be completed within one year of the bill’s enactment and submitted to Congress.

Maddy summaryHR 7142 (Alternatives to PAIN Act) requires Medicare Part D plans to cover non-opioid pain management drugs with no deductible and at the lowest copay level starting in 2025. It defines "qualifying non-opioid drugs" as FDA-approved medications that don’t act on opioid receptors (like certain NSAIDs or nerve pain treatments), excluding opioids and schedule I-III drugs. The bill prohibits Medicare plans from forcing patients to try opioids first (step therapy) or requiring prior approval for these non-opioid options. It directly affects Medicare beneficiaries needing pain management, especially those seeking alternatives to opioids for post-surgical or acute pain. The policy change aims to improve access to non-addictive pain treatments while preserving doctors' authority to prescribe medically appropriate care.

Maddy summaryThe EASE Act of 2024 requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to test a new model improving access to specialty health care for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries in rural or underserved areas. It mandates CMS to partner with selected provider networks - comprising at least 50 community health clinics, nonprofits with proven community health work, and commitment to research - to deliver specialty care via telehealth and remote technology, coordinated with patients’ primary care providers. This model directly affects Medicare Part A/B beneficiaries and Medicaid enrollees living in designated underserved regions. The bill establishes specific criteria for network selection and defines "eligible individuals" based on coverage type and geographic location.

Maddy summaryThe "You Earned It, You Keep It Act" (HR 7084) establishes a $250,000 annual income threshold for Social Security taxes. Income above this threshold will no longer be subject to Social Security taxes but will still count toward Social Security benefits. This affects high earners who would have paid Social Security taxes on income above the current wage base. The bill also includes special rules for workers with multiple employers and applies to calendar years after 2024.

Maddy summaryThis bill adds 1,000 new medical residency positions (500 in 2024 and 500 across 2025-2028) specifically for training in addiction medicine, addiction psychiatry, or pain medicine. It directly affects hospitals that have or will establish approved residency programs in these fields. Hospitals receiving these positions must use them for addiction-related training for five years, with unused positions redistributed if requirements aren't met. The goal is to expand the healthcare workforce addressing the substance use disorder crisis by increasing specialized training opportunities.

Maddy summaryThis bill, HR 6860, protects patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESRD) who require dialysis by preventing health insurance plans from discriminating against them. It amends Medicare rules to prohibit plans from treating dialysis coverage differently than other medical services based on a patient’s ESRD diagnosis, need for dialysis, or any other factor. The bill clarifies that plans can still choose which dialysis providers to include in their networks but cannot deny or limit coverage for dialysis services solely because of the patient’s condition. It ensures Medicare remains the secondary payer for these services as intended, without forcing plans to cover specific providers.

Maddy summaryThe ARCC Act provides $100 million in federal funding to help apprentices and pre-apprentices in job training programs cover childcare costs. It authorizes competitive grants to 10 states, which must distribute monthly stipends of at least $500 per dependent child directly to eligible childcare providers on behalf of participants in these programs. The bill prioritizes individuals from historically underrepresented groups (based on race, ethnicity, or gender) and ensures stipends are tax-free while not affecting eligibility for other federal benefits. States must report on participation, program completion rates, and demographic data, with the Secretary later summarizing program impacts for Congress.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Medicare physician payment rules to improve stability and accuracy. It raises the budget neutrality threshold from $20 million (pre-2025) to $53 million in 2025, with annual indexing after 2026, to prevent excessive payment adjustments. The bill requires the Medicare program to correct budget neutrality payments based on actual service utilization data (not estimates) starting in 2025, and mandates updating direct cost inputs (like staff wages and equipment prices) every 5 years. It also caps annual changes to the physician payment conversion factor at 2.5% to limit sudden payment shifts, directly affecting Medicare physicians and healthcare providers receiving these payments.

Maddy summaryHR 6257, the Emergency Medical Services Reimbursement for On-Scene and Support Act, amends federal law to expand Medicare reimbursement for ambulance services. It specifically allows ambulance providers to receive payment for on-scene medical care (without transportation) starting January 1, 2025, regardless of whether they also provide transport services. This directly affects ambulance providers who offer non-transport emergency medical services, ensuring they can be reimbursed for those specific on-scene treatments. The key provision modifies Section 1861(s)(7) of the Social Security Act to include these services under reimbursement eligibility. The change applies only to services furnished on or after the effective date, not retroactively.