Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton

Maddy summaryThe Mamas First Act aims to reduce maternal mortality rates by expanding Medicaid coverage to include support services from doulas, midwives, tribal midwives, and lactation providers. This legislation modifies the Social Security Act to allow these professionals to bill Medicaid for prenatal, labor, and postpartum care delivered in various settings, including homes, hospitals, and clinics. To qualify for reimbursement, doulas must hold a certification requiring continuing education and gather specific client or provider recommendations, while midwives and lactation support providers must meet defined state or international standards. The bill also prohibits Medicaid programs from charging copayments or deductibles for these essential services, with the changes taking effect on January 1, 2027.

Maddy summaryThis bill directs the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to test a new payment model that allows blood transfusions for hospice patients to be billed separately from the standard daily hospice rate. Under this proposed change, Medicare would reimburse these transfusions at the same rate used when they are provided outside of a hospice setting. The legislation requires the agency to evaluate the model by comparing patient outcomes, such as hospital visits and chemotherapy use, between those receiving the new payment structure and similar patients under the current system. This initiative aims to determine if separating the payment for blood transfusions impacts care delivery and resource utilization for individuals receiving end-of-life care.

Maddy summaryThe Medicare-X Choice Act of 2026 creates a new public health plan called the Medicare Exchange health plan, which would be available to individuals and small groups starting in 2028. The bill establishes two dedicated funds to finance the plan's creation and technology updates, appropriating $1 billion each for fiscal year 2027. Under the plan, the government would set premiums to cover full costs, and reimbursement rates for doctors and hospitals would generally match current Medicare rates, with potential increases for rural areas. The legislation also requires health care providers who participate in traditional Medicare to also accept patients in this new plan, while prohibiting insurers from placing additional restrictions on enrollees. Additionally, the bill expands tax credits for people buying insurance, fixes the "family glitch" that currently limits subsidy eligibility for some workers, and authorizes the government to negotiate prices for prescription drugs.

Maddy summaryThe Drug Deal Disclosure Act requires the Department of Health and Human Services to publicly release records of specific agreements between the federal government and major drug manufacturers starting in 2025. These agreements must include provisions such as offering lower drug prices based on international rates, providing discounts through government platforms like TrumpRx, or receiving special exemptions from import duties and regulatory reviews. While the bill mandates that most documents be made available in a searchable format, it allows the government to withhold only specific confidential pricing details if legally required by foreign laws or court orders, provided a justification is published. Additionally, the law directs the Congressional Budget Office and the Government Accountability Office to analyze the economic and budgetary impacts of these deals, including effects on Medicare, Medicaid, and drug competition.

Maddy summaryThe Advanced Coursework Equity Act establishes a federal grant program designed to increase access to advanced science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses for students in under-resourced schools and historically underrepresented groups. To achieve this, the bill requires recipients to adopt either open enrollment, which allows any student to join without barriers, or universal screening, which uses objective assessments to identify qualified students rather than relying solely on subjective teacher recommendations. Funding is distributed to state and local education agencies to cover costs such as training educators on equity strategies, expanding course capacity, and providing tutoring, with a specific focus on closing achievement gaps in STEM fields. The program includes strict reporting requirements and offers bonus payments to districts that demonstrate the most significant progress in enrolling diverse students in advanced coursework over the three-year grant period.

Maddy summaryThe Patients First Act of 2026 modifies how Medicare reimburses physicians and primary care providers to improve access and stabilize payments. It establishes a new hybrid payment model for primary care services from 2027 to 2031, which pays a monthly fee per patient to eligible independent practices while covering specific services like care management and telehealth without cost-sharing for patients. The bill also updates the formula for calculating reimbursement rates to account for high inflation years and requires more frequent updates to the costs used in calculating payments. Additionally, the legislation reforms the performance-based payment system by adding care efficiency measures, creating a task force to recommend new quality metrics, and adjusting penalties for providers who fail to report on certain data.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Medicare Advantage plans to implement electronic pre-approval systems for medical services by 2028 and meet transparency reporting standards starting in 2027. Plans must publicly report data on approval/denial rates, appeal outcomes, response times, and technology use for pre-approval requests, including details on how denials relate to clinical criteria. It establishes a 24-hour response timeframe for certain requests and mandates annual reviews of pre-approval requirements based on data and input from seniors and providers. The law directly affects Medicare Advantage plans, seniors enrolled in these plans, and healthcare providers who submit pre-approval requests. These changes aim to make the pre-approval process faster, more transparent, and more accountable for seniors seeking covered medical services.

Maddy summaryThe High Court Gift Ban Act prohibits federal judicial officers from accepting gifts from sources likely to appear before them, unless the gift is under $50, the total annual value from that source remains $100 or less, or it falls under specific exceptions like gifts from relatives or public events. The law defines a "gift" broadly to include items, services, and reimbursements, while allowing exceptions for personal hospitality within IRS limits and certain professional benefits available to the general public. Enforcement mechanisms include referrals to the Attorney General for violations, which can result in civil or criminal penalties similar to those for other federal ethics breaches. The bill requires the Supreme Court and the Judicial Conference to create implementing regulations within 180 days of enactment to ensure compliance.

Maddy summaryThis bill, titled the No New Fencing At the White House Act, prohibits the use of any federal, state, foreign, or private funds to install new permanent fencing around the White House complex. The legislation defines the White House complex as the specific federal land in Washington, D.C., bounded by H Street, 15th Street, Constitution Avenue, and 17th Street Northwest. While it bans new construction, the law explicitly allows for the repair or replacement of any existing fencing that was already in place when the bill was enacted.

Maddy summaryThe Menopausal Workers' Fairness Act of 2026 expands federal employment protections to explicitly cover workers experiencing menopause and related symptoms, requiring employers with 15 or more employees to provide reasonable accommodations unless doing so causes significant business hardship. Under this bill, it would be illegal for employers to discriminate against or retaliate against qualified employees who request accommodations for issues such as hot flashes, fatigue, or mood changes, while also mandating that medical information regarding these conditions remains confidential. The legislation includes a specific list of low-cost adjustments, such as allowing extra restroom breaks or flexible sitting and standing, that employers must grant without requiring extensive documentation. Enforcement and legal remedies for violations will follow the same procedures currently used for age and disability discrimination claims, and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is tasked with issuing detailed regulations within a year of the law's passage.