Rep. Jefferson Van Drew

Maddy summaryHR 9613, the SSA Reform Act of 2024, requires the Department of Homeland Security to notify the Social Security Administration within 180 days of any change in an individual's citizenship, immigration status, or work authorization. This notification system enables the Social Security Administration to determine eligibility for benefits, directly affecting non-citizen beneficiaries who may lose access to Social Security benefits, Medicare, or Medicaid during months they are not U.S. citizens or nationals. The bill mandates annual joint reports from DHS and Social Security detailing notification volumes, processing times, challenges, fraud prevention effectiveness, and data-sharing coordination. These reports aim to improve the system's efficiency but do not alter existing benefit amounts or create new eligibility categories.

Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Social Security Act to exempt certain military-connected Social Security benefits from the government pension offset. It directly affects surviving spouses and dependents of uniformed service members (including those who died or were honorably discharged) who receive Social Security benefits based on the service member's earnings. The key provision removes the offset that previously reduced Social Security payments for these individuals if they also received a military pension. The exemption applies to benefits under Social Security Act sections (e), (f), or (g) for months beginning after the bill's enactment. This change ensures military families receive full Social Security benefits without reduction due to military service pensions.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Medicare Advantage plans to implement electronic prior authorization systems by 2027 and publish detailed data on their approval and denial rates for medical services by 2026. It directly affects Medicare Advantage plans (private insurers offering Medicare coverage) and their enrollees (seniors 65+), mandating transparency about prior authorization decisions, processing times, and appeal outcomes. Key provisions include requiring plans to report annual statistics on request approvals/denials, average processing times, and use of technology, with this data published publicly by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The bill also sets timelines for plan responses to prior authorization requests and mandates reports to Congress on implementation and impacts.

Maddy summaryHR 8599, the Oral Health Products Inclusion Act, expands tax-advantaged health account coverage by allowing expenses for specific oral care products to be treated as qualified medical expenses. The bill adds toothbrushes (manual or electric), water flossers, and FDA-approved over-the-counter anticaries or antiplaque products (like certain toothpastes or rinses) to the list of eligible expenses under Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), Archer MSAs, and health flexible spending accounts (FSAs)/health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs). This directly affects individuals who use these tax-advantaged accounts to pay for routine oral health products out-of-pocket. The policy change requires these products to be FDA-recognized as safe and effective for topical use on teeth or gums, without altering the products themselves or their medical use.

Maddy summaryThe HEROS Act (HR 8487) modifies Social Security rules to protect benefits for families of emergency responders who died in the line of duty. It exempts certain monthly Social Security benefits from being reduced by government pensions for survivors of eligible officers. Specifically, it applies to families of federal/state/local law enforcement officers, firefighters (as defined by labor laws), and correctional officers whose deaths occurred while performing official duties. This change takes effect for benefits paid starting from the law's enactment date, ensuring these survivors receive full Social Security payments without offset.

Maddy summaryHR 8411, the Defending American Property Abroad Act, blocks U.S. government funding for activities involving foreign ports or terminals where a U.S. entity owns the land needed for access, and a foreign government has taken actions like nationalizing that land or nullifying a related contract. It requires the Homeland Security Secretary to designate such "prohibited property" within 60 days, then prohibits funding for vessels using these locations to import goods, dock, or receive maintenance. The bill mandates annual reports to Congress tracking designated properties, affected vessels, and the foreign actions triggering designations, along with assessments of economic and national security impacts. This directly affects U.S. businesses with foreign port access and U.S. agencies managing maritime activities.

Maddy summaryThis bill permanently extends Medicare reimbursement for telehealth services provided by federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) and rural health clinics (RHCs). It removes the previous time limit that tied telehealth coverage to a declared public health emergency or a 151-day post-emergency period. The key change modifies the Social Security Act to allow these clinics to continue offering telehealth services under Medicare without time restrictions. This directly affects FQHCs and RHCs, primarily serving rural and underserved communities, by ensuring ongoing access to Medicare payments for virtual care. The policy change makes telehealth coverage for these providers permanent, not temporary.

Maddy summaryHR 8018, the ABC Act, requires Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and Social Security Administration to review their eligibility processes, forms, and communications to simplify interactions for family caregivers. It targets reducing duplicate paperwork, improving website accessibility (including ADA compliance), and enhancing staff communication - such as shorter call waits and multilingual support - to better serve caregivers supporting individuals enrolled in these programs. The review must include input from caregivers and organizations, with results reported to Congress within one year. This procedural bill does not change program benefits but mandates systemic improvements to reduce administrative burdens.

Maddy summaryThe Telehealth Modernization Act of 2024 extends Medicare's temporary telehealth coverage rules permanently, removing the previous 2024 expiration date. It expands who can provide telehealth services by allowing more healthcare professionals (like certain nurse practitioners) to bill Medicare for these services, and ensures Federally Qualified Health Centers and Rural Health Clinics can continue billing for telehealth under existing payment rules after 2024. The bill also explicitly permits audio-only telehealth calls for Medicare coverage and allows telehealth for hospice face-to-face visits and home dialysis assessments as clinically appropriate, without time limits. These changes directly affect Medicare beneficiaries, healthcare providers, and community health centers offering telehealth services.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Medicare to cover falls risk assessments and fall prevention services during annual wellness visits and initial preventive physical exams for seniors aged 65+ who have fallen in the previous year. It directly affects Medicare beneficiaries with recent falls and healthcare providers delivering these services under Medicare. The key mechanism expands existing Medicare benefits to include these specific fall prevention services, effective January 1, 2025. Additionally, it mandates annual reports starting in 2026 tracking falls data for seniors over 65 who received fall-related treatment.