Strengthening Innovation in Medicare and Medicaid Act This bill makes a series of changes to requirements for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, including additional testing parameters, procedural steps, and reporting requirements for models.
Next Generation Fuels Act of 2021 This bill supports the use of biofuels (e.g., gasoline blended with ethanol) in vehicles, including by establishing a minimum octane standard for gasoline as well as making related biofuel requirements for vehicles, their fuels, and fuel infrastructure.
Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers for Veterans Therapy Act or the PAWS for Veterans Therapy Act This bill implements a program and a policy related to service dog therapy for veterans. Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to implement a five-year pilot program to provide canine training to eligible veterans diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder as an element of a complementary and integrative health program. Eligible veterans are those who are enrolled in the VA health care system and have been recommended for participation by a qualified mental health care provider or clinical team. The VA must seek to enter agreements containing specified elements with accredited nongovernmental entities that have demonstrated ability to provide canine training. Veterans who participate in the program are authorized to adopt the dog they assisted in training if their health provider determines it is in the best interest of the veteran. The VA must establish processes to document and track the progress of participating veterans with respect to health benefits and improvements. The Government Accountability Office must brief Congress and submit a report on the program. The bill also authorizes the VA to provide service dogs to veterans with mental illnesses, regardless of whether they have a mobility impairment.
This resolution condemns the President's failure to heed military and intelligence advisors about the speed and nature of the Taliban offense in Afghanistan and urges the President to commit to maintaining the evacuation operation as long as necessary to evacuate any U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, or Afghan partner who requests evacuation assistance .
This bill requires the Department of Defense (DOD) to report daily on the efforts to evacuate U.S. citizens and legal permanent residents from Afghanistan until the President certifies to Congress that all such individuals who sought evacuation have been evacuated. Until such certification is submitted, DOD may not use FY2021 funds for activity which would have the effect of reducing the total number of service members deployed to Afghanistan, except in specified circumstances.
Preserving Patient Access to Home Infusion Act This bill specifically includes pharmacy services as part of covered home infusion therapy under Medicare, and specifies that certain payment components still apply regardless of whether or not a qualified supplier is physically present in the beneficiary's home. The bill also allows nurses and physician assistants to establish and review the plan of care for home infusion therapy.
Keep Physicians Serving Patients Act of 2021 This bill requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to use specified data regarding physician wages and office rent when determining certain geographic adjustment factors for the payment of physician services under Medicare. With respect to such payment, the bill also makes permanent certain minimum adjustments to the work geographic index and extends to all localities certain minimum adjustments to the practice expense index.
Border Security for America Act of 2021 This bill addresses border security and related issues. For example, the bill requires the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to resume all activities to construct a border barrier system along the U.S.-Mexico border that were underway or planned prior to January 20, 2021; requires DHS to deploy, in addition to physical barriers, tactical infrastructure and technology to achieve situational awareness and operational control of the southwest border; authorizes U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to carry out a program to acquire innovative commercial items through a competitive selection of proposals; imposes certain requirements for DHS border security technology acquisition programs that have a total expenditure of at least $300 million; requires CBP to implement certain technologies, including a program to establish a biometric exit data system at ports of entry; requires CBP to increase or maintain certain staffing levels for agents, officers, processing coordinators, and other positions; requires CBP to implement a workload staffing model for the U.S. Border Patrol and for CBP's Air and Marine Operations; and provides statutory authority through FY2026 for Operation Stonegarden, a Federal Emergency Management Agency program that provides grants to states and territories involved in certain active CBP border security operations.
Reducing Unnecessary Senior Hospitalizations Act of 2021 or the RUSH Act of 2021 This bill establishes a program through which qualified group practices may provide certain items and services that are normally provided at hospital emergency departments to individuals who (1) are entitled to Medicare hospital services, (2) are enrolled for Medicare medical services, and (3) reside in qualified skilled nursing facilities.
Promoting Access to Diabetic Shoes Act This bill allows a nurse practitioner or physician assistant to fulfill documentation requirements for coverage, under Medicare, of special shoes for diabetic individuals. Under current law, such requirements may be satisfied only by a physician.
