The PROTECT Act directs the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to launch a new initiative aimed at reducing e-cigarette and tobacco use among youth and young adults. The bill authorizes $100 million annually from 2027 through 2031 to fund research on product usage patterns, health impacts, and cessation behaviors, as well as the development of guidance for healthcare providers and schools. Additionally, it requires the creation of public education campaigns and continued funding for state and local health departments to improve access to quit services.
The HCBS Access Act would require states to cover home and community-based services (HCBS) as a mandatory benefit under Medicaid, effectively eliminating waiting lists for individuals with disabilities and older adults who need support to live in their communities rather than institutions. To fund this expansion, the bill provides a 100% federal matching rate for these services if states meet specific requirements, such as improving workforce wages, removing access barriers, and establishing infrastructure to support self-directed care models. Additionally, the legislation creates a national technical assistance center and authorizes grants to recruit, train, and retain direct care workers, while also prohibiting states from placing liens on the assets of Medicaid recipients for medical assistance correctly paid.
The Pay PCPs Act of 2026 authorizes the Secretary of Health and Human Services to implement a hybrid payment model for Medicare primary care providers, combining predictable monthly payments with traditional fee-for-service reimbursements. This new structure aims to fund activities that are currently difficult to bill individually, such as patient communications and team-based care coordination, while allowing providers to opt into the program voluntarily. Additionally, the bill reduces beneficiary out-of-pocket costs by 50% for covered primary care services when patients designate a specific provider as their usual source of care. To support these changes, the legislation appropriates $10 billion over five years and establishes a temporary technical advisory committee to review and improve how Medicare values physician services.
The Affordable Pricing for Taxpayer-Funded Prescription Drugs Act of 2026 requires federal agencies to include reasonable pricing clauses in all research grants and contracts involving biomedical products. Under this provision, U.S. residents cannot be charged more than the median price found in Canada and six other high-income OECD countries for any drug, device, or therapy developed with federal support. The Secretary of Health and Human Services is authorized to establish additional regulations, such as mechanisms to lower prices when revenues exceed targets or costs per health benefit are too high, while retaining the ability to waive these obligations if doing so serves the public interest. To ensure accountability, manufacturers must report clinical trial costs, government subsidies, and annual revenues by county, with all data made publicly available.
The Right to IVF Act of 2026 establishes federal protections to ensure individuals can access assisted reproductive technology and intrauterine insemination without state-imposed restrictions, while also mandating that health insurance plans, Medicare, Medicaid, and the Federal Employees Health Benefits program cover these services. The bill defines these procedures broadly to include treatments like egg and embryo freezing and requires coverage regardless of whether a patient has been diagnosed with infertility. It further directs the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide fertility preservation and reproductive assistance to uniformed service members and veterans, including funding for egg or sperm retrieval and storage. Additionally, the legislation grants federal courts the authority to challenge and block any state laws that limit access to these reproductive treatments or discriminate against providers and patients based on protected characteristics.
The Supporting Our Direct Care Workforce and Family Caregivers Act establishes a national technical assistance center and provides $1 billion in grants to help recruit, train, and retain workers who assist older adults and people with disabilities. These funds will support projects run by states, community colleges, and other organizations to create career pathways, offer apprenticeships, and provide educational resources for both direct care professionals and family caregivers. A key requirement is that at least 30% of the funded projects must focus on advancing the careers of direct care workers through professional development and clear career ladders. The bill also mandates that grant recipients include people with disabilities, older individuals, and caregivers in planning and advisory roles to ensure programs meet community needs. Additionally, the legislation allocates $2 million annually for the technical assistance center to develop training curricula and address data gaps in the workforce.
The Let Doctors Provide Reproductive Health Care Act prohibits states and their officials from restricting or penalizing health care providers who offer reproductive health services that are legal in the state where they are performed. This includes banning laws that stop doctors, nurses, pharmacists, or their staff from providing abortion, contraception, or other reproductive care, as well as preventing the denial of professional liability insurance based on these services. The bill establishes a private right of action allowing providers to sue in federal court to challenge such restrictions and mandates that the federal government cannot use funds to support legal cases against providers acting within state law. Additionally, the legislation appropriates $80 million in grants to support legal defense funds for providers facing lawsuits and to improve physical and cybersecurity measures at health care facilities.
The Health and Location Data Protection Act of 2026 prohibits data brokers from buying, selling, or sharing personal location and health information, while allowing exceptions for authorized disclosures, HIPAA-compliant activities, and newsworthy public interest reporting. The Federal Trade Commission is tasked with defining specific data categories and enforcing these rules, with penalties including civil fines up to 15 percent of a company's revenue and the ability for the FTC, state attorneys general, and private individuals to sue for violations. This legislation applies to entities that trade data collected from others rather than directly from individuals, and it preempts only state laws that require the disclosure of data this bill forbids.
This bill establishes federal protections and funding to expand access to in vitro fertilization and intrauterine insemination for individuals, military service members, and veterans. It requires most private health plans, Medicaid programs, and Medicare to cover these fertility treatments without imposing higher cost-sharing than other medical services. Additionally, the legislation mandates that the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs provide specific fertility preservation and treatment benefits to uniformed service members and eligible veterans. The bill also includes preemption clauses that override state laws restricting these procedures and prohibits discrimination based on marital status, sex, or sexual orientation in the provision of care.
This Senate resolution recognizes the importance of independent living and economic self-sufficiency for individuals with disabilities, emphasizing their right to live in their own homes and communities. It calls on the Department of Justice to rescind a recent opinion that the Senate views as undermining the legal requirement to provide community-based services instead of institutional care. The document also urges various federal agencies to improve funding for home and community-based services, increase accessible housing and transportation, and promote competitive employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Additionally, the resolution pledges bipartisan efforts to address barriers faced by individuals with disabilities, including those of color, and opposes cuts to the Medicaid program that could limit access to essential support services.
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Medicaid
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People with Disabilities
