Healthcare (Hospitals)

in committee · United States · House Jan 31, 2025

HR 870: Physicians for Underserved Areas Act

HR 870, the Physicians for Underserved Areas Act, amends Medicare rules to improve how residency slots are redistributed when hospitals close. It requires hospitals to ensure that redistributed residency positions are filled within five years (previously only a vague "likelihood" standard existed). This change directly affects hospitals participating in Medicare that close and the residency programs receiving the reassignable slots. The policy focuses on ensuring residency positions are actually filled after closures, rather than just being available.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires hospitals to fill redistributed residency slots within 5 years, maintaining physician workforce continuity in underserved areas and improving healthcare access.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Medicaid Medicare

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in committee · United States · House Jan 5, 2026

HR 6585: To direct the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to temporarily extend the period during which certain individuals may file claims for medical care under the CHAMPVA program of the Department of Veterans Affairs, and for other purposes.

This bill extends the deadline for certain veterans' dependents to file claims for medical care under the CHAMPVA program. It applies to individuals already eligible for CHAMPVA benefits who also have Medicare Part A hospital coverage. The key change ensures that after receiving official approval for retroactive care, these individuals have a full 365 days (not earlier than one year) to file their claim. The extension applies from the bill's enactment date until September 30, 2027.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExtends 365-day filing window for veterans' dependents to access CHAMPVA healthcare benefits, improving access to existing coverage without restrictions.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransExtends CHAMPVA claim filing deadline, ensuring timely access to healthcare benefits for eligible veterans and dependents by granting 365 days post-approval.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Medicare Military Families Veteran Benefits Veteran Healthcare

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in committee · United States · House Mar 21, 2025

HR 2263: Telehealth Coverage Act of 2025

The Telehealth Coverage Act of 2025 makes permanent Medicare telehealth flexibilities that were temporarily expanded during the pandemic. It eliminates in-person visit requirements for mental health services, substance use disorder treatment, home dialysis visits, and stroke care, allowing these to be provided via telehealth. The bill also expands who can provide telehealth services, extends coverage for rural health clinics and community health centers, and requires new billing modifiers for certain telehealth claims by January 2026. Additionally, it includes guidance to help providers serve patients with limited English proficiency through telehealth and expands access to virtual diabetes prevention programs. These changes primarily affect Medicare beneficiaries, healthcare providers, and telehealth technology companies.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill makes Medicare telehealth flexibilities permanent, eliminates in-person requirements for mental health/substance use care, and expands access for rural clinics/mental health services, directly improving patient access and coverage.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyExpands telehealth access via technology, removing in-person barriers for mental health, rural care, and chronic disease management through permanent Medicare flexibilities.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Medicaid Telehealth

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in committee · United States · House Jun 12, 2025

HR 3954: Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act of 2025

Improving Access to Medicare Coverage Act of 2025 This bill deems an individual receiving outpatient observation services in a hospital as an inpatient for purposes of satisfying the three-day inpatient hospital-stay requirement with respect to Medicare coverage of skilled nursing facility (SNF) services. (Generally, individuals must have been an inpatient at a hospital for at least three days in order to qualify for SNF services. An individual's time spent under observation at a hospital for purposes of determining whether the individual should be admitted does not count towards this requirement.)

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill removes 3-day inpatient requirement barrier for SNF coverage, directly improving Medicare access as stated in title and summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Long-Term Care Medicare

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in committee · United States · House Jan 15, 2026

HR 7116: SEPSIS Act

The SEPSIS Act (HR 7116) establishes a dedicated sepsis program within the CDC to improve national sepsis response. It requires the CDC Director to lead education campaigns on hospital sepsis best practices, enhance pediatric sepsis data collection, and coordinate with Medicare/Medicaid to develop quality measures. Hospitals would be asked to report on sepsis protocol adoption, with a voluntary "honor roll" recognizing top performers in early detection and treatment. The bill authorizes $20 million annually (2026-2030) for these efforts and mandates annual congressional briefings on sepsis data and hospital progress. This directly affects hospitals, CDC operations, and federal health agencies working to reduce sepsis-related deaths and costs.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAuthorizes $20M for CDC sepsis program, mandates best practices education, data collection, and quality measures to improve patient outcomes and hospital protocols.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Children's Health Hospitals Medicaid

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in committee · United States · House Apr 24, 2025

HR 3016: Combatting Hospital Monopolies Act

This bill amends the Federal Trade Commission Act to expand the FTC's authority over certain tax-exempt hospitals. It adds "any hospital organization or cooperative hospital service organization described in section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code" to the definition of "corporation" under FTC jurisdiction. This change directly affects tax-exempt hospitals and hospital cooperatives that qualify under 501(c)(3), allowing the FTC to investigate and act against their anti-competitive practices. The key mechanism is simply updating the legal definition to include these specific healthcare entities under existing FTC oversight.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill targets hospital monopolies via FTC authority, promoting fair competition to improve patient access and reduce anti-competitive practices in healthcare delivery.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals

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in committee · United States · House Sep 10, 2025

HR 5256: 340B ACCESS Act

The 340B ACCESS Act strengthens oversight of the 340B Drug Pricing Program, which allows safety-net hospitals and clinics to purchase outpatient drugs at discounted prices. The bill clarifies who qualifies as a "patient" for 340B discounts, establishes new requirements for hospital child sites and contract pharmacies, and mandates that covered entities implement sliding fee scales to ensure patient affordability based on income. It creates a claims data clearinghouse to prevent duplicate Medicaid discounts and requires covered entities to report detailed data about drug dispensing. These changes aim to ensure 340B discounts reach intended patients while preventing program misuse and ensuring transparency.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareStrengthens 340B program oversight, mandates sliding fee scales for income-based affordability, improving patient access to discounted drugs for safety-net providers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Medicaid Prescription Drugs

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in committee · United States · House Jan 22, 2026

HR 7198: Ensuring Access to General Surgery Act of 2026

The Ensuring Access to General Surgery Act of 2026 directs the Health Resources and Services Administration to study how to better identify areas with insufficient general surgeons, particularly in rural and underserved communities. The study will evaluate current shortage designations and test a new methodology using hospital service areas and surgeon-to-population ratios to set accurate thresholds for shortage levels (e.g., critical shortage, adequate supply). Within one year, the Secretary must submit a report to Congress and publish data on surgeon availability, with annual updates to any designated shortage areas. This process aims to improve the accuracy of shortage identification to inform future resource allocation for surgical care access.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill directs study to identify surgical shortages in underserved areas, aiming to improve access to general surgery services through better data-driven shortage thresholds.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals

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in committee · United States · House Jul 16, 2025

HR 4441: Patient Access to Innovative New Technologies Act of 2025

This bill creates a pathway for Medicare to cover innovative medical devices earlier. It allows "breakthrough devices" (new technologies designated for expedited FDA review) to qualify for Medicare's "new technology add-on payment" if approved, cleared, or authorized by the FDA before July 1 of a fiscal year. This means Medicare beneficiaries gain faster access to these new devices, and hospitals receive additional payment for using them, effective in the first quarter after FDA approval. The provision applies to devices approved on or after July 1, 2023, and is designed to be budget-neutral.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill enables faster Medicare coverage of FDA-approved breakthrough devices, improving patient access to innovative medical technologies and providing additional hospital payments.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyAccelerates Medicare coverage for breakthrough medical devices, promoting adoption of new health technology innovations through expedited payment pathways.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Medicare Telehealth

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in committee · United States · House Jun 12, 2025

HR 4002: Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2025

Patient Access to Higher Quality Health Care Act of 2025 This bill repeals provisions under the Stark law (i.e., the Physician Self-Referral Law) that limit, for purposes of Medicare participation, self-referrals by newly constructed or expanded physician-owned hospitals.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRepeals Stark law restrictions on physician-owned hospital self-referrals, enabling expanded Medicare access for patients under the bill's title and summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Medicare

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