Healthcare (Medicare)

in committee · United States · House Feb 9, 2026

HR 7444: Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act

This bill expands Medicare telehealth access for rural and underserved communities by removing geographic restrictions on where telehealth services can originate and allowing more services to be provided from patients' homes. It enables critical access hospitals, federally qualified health centers, and rural health clinics to receive full reimbursement for telehealth services and permits audio-only technology for certain appointments starting in 2027. The legislation also establishes permanent payment rates for telehealth services provided by these facilities and requires a review of audio-only technology use within five years to assess its impact on access and clinical appropriateness.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill expands Medicare telehealth access, removes geographic restrictions, increases reimbursement for rural facilities, and improves patient access to healthcare services.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill expands telehealth access and removes geographic restrictions, promoting digital equity and technology adoption in healthcare.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicare Mental Health Telehealth Tags Rural Communities

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in committee · United States · Senate Mar 17, 2026

S 4118: Hospice CARE Act of 2026

The Hospice CARE Act of 2026 introduces stricter oversight and payment reforms for Medicare hospice programs. It temporarily halts enrollment of new hospice programs for five years, with exceptions for areas lacking adequate care access. The bill increases survey frequency for certain hospices, requires more independent physician certifications for terminal illness, and mandates face-to-face encounters before recertifying patients. Payment reforms include adjusting reimbursement rates for specific services like palliative chemotherapy and dialysis, while also implementing stricter reporting requirements and ownership change notifications.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill strengthens Medicare hospice oversight, increases physician certifications, and improves patient care access through stricter regulations.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care Medicare

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in committee · United States · Senate Mar 26, 2026

S 4233: Save Struggling Hospitals Act

This bill, known as the Save Struggling Hospitals Act, modifies Medicare reimbursement rules to provide additional financial support to hospitals in low-wage areas. It directly affects hospitals whose geographic area wage index falls below the 25th percentile, increasing their reimbursement rates by half the difference between their current index and the 25th percentile threshold. The adjustment applies to discharges occurring on or after October 1, 2019, and is designed to be budget neutral, meaning the total amount paid out remains unchanged while redistributing funds from higher-wage to lower-wage areas. The law also includes safeguards to prevent hospitals in the 75th percentile or higher from losing funding and ensures no hospital's reimbursement drops below 95 percent of the previous year's rate.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill increases Medicare reimbursement for hospitals in low-wage areas, providing additional funding to support essential healthcare services in underserved communities.75% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill increases Medicare reimbursement rates for hospitals in low-wage areas, directly strengthening healthcare infrastructure and financial support for medical facilities.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Medicare

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in committee · United States · House Mar 25, 2026

HR 8083: Allowing Greater Access to Safe and Effective Contraception Act

This bill would allow certain oral contraceptive drugs to be sold over-the-counter to adults aged 18 and older by requiring the FDA to prioritize their review and waive associated application fees. It specifically excludes emergency contraceptives and drugs also approved for induced abortion from these provisions. The legislation also directs the Government Accountability Office to study how federal programs fund contraception over the past 15 years, covering Medicare, Medicaid, and other health services.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill expands access to contraception by allowing OTC sales for adults 18+, improving patient access to healthcare services.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Medicare Women's Health

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in committee · United States · House Mar 25, 2026

HR 8081: Mental Health Access and Provider Support Act of 2026

The Mental Health Access and Provider Support Act of 2026 increases Medicare payments to psychologists by 10 percentage points, raising the reimbursement rate from 75 percent to 85 percent of the standard fee schedule. This change directly affects Medicare beneficiaries who receive mental health services from psychologists and the psychologists themselves who provide those services. The bill applies to services furnished on or after January 1, 2027, and modifies existing payment provisions in the Social Security Act without altering other aspects of mental health coverage.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill increases Medicare payments to psychologists, improving access to mental health services and strengthening provider support.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicare Mental Health

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in committee · United States · House Mar 9, 2026

HR 7863: Promoting Fairness for Medicare Providers Act of 2026

This bill, titled the Promoting Fairness for Medicare Providers Act of 2026, changes how Medicare pays for certain surgical procedures performed in doctors' offices when those procedures involve expensive medical supplies. Starting in 2027, Medicare will pay office-based facilities 80% of the amount it would pay for the same procedures performed in ambulatory surgical centers, with additional rules for device-intensive procedures. The bill defines which procedures qualify based on supply costs exceeding $500 and requires participating doctors' offices to agree to accept these payment amounts as full payment. The list of covered procedures will be reviewed annually beginning in 2028, with the Secretary of Health and Human Services able to add or remove procedures based on supply cost thresholds that adjust for inflation.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill adjusts Medicare payment rates for office-based surgical procedures to ensure fair compensation for providers, supporting healthcare access and provider sustainability.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicare

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in committee · United States · House Mar 5, 2026

HR 7830: WELLS Act

This bill requires hospitals receiving Medicare funding to create discharge plans for pregnant patients who are expected to leave the hospital before delivery, ensuring they have safe transportation and access to backup care if needed. The discharge plans must include clinical justification for early discharge, assessment of travel logistics, identification of alternative delivery facilities, and confirmation that patients understand the information in their primary language. Additionally, the bill expands rural maternal health training grants to include racial bias training, establishes performance milestones for grant recipients, and creates a new initiative to evaluate different training models for healthcare professionals. The legislation also mandates the development of a public dashboard tracking maternal health outcomes and federal investments in maternal health research.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill strengthens patient safety by requiring hospitals to create discharge plans for pregnant individuals, ensuring access to backup care and safe transportation.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Medicare Women's Health

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in committee · United States · Senate Mar 12, 2026

S 4070: Diabetes Foot Health Access and Modernization Act of 2026

This bill, known as the Diabetes Foot Health Access and Modernization Act of 2026, makes two main changes to federal health insurance programs. First, it allows podiatric physicians to provide covered physician services under Medicaid, ensuring patients have access to specialized foot and ankle care. Second, it updates Medicare rules to clarify documentation requirements for diabetic shoes, specifying that a physician must confirm a patient has diabetes and related foot conditions before these shoes are covered. The changes take effect on January 1, 2026 for Medicaid podiatry services and January 1, 2028 for Medicare diabetic shoe documentation.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill expands Medicaid coverage for podiatric services and clarifies Medicare diabetic shoe requirements, improving patient access to specialized care.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Medicaid Medicare

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in committee · United States · House Mar 9, 2026

HR 7868: Expanding Support for Living Donors Act of 2026

This bill, titled the Expanding Support for Living Donors Act of 2026, amends the Public Health Service Act to expand financial assistance for individuals who donate organs while alive. It directly affects living organ donors by removing income restrictions and increasing the maximum reimbursement amount for their qualifying medical expenses. The legislation sets a new maximum reimbursement of $10,000 for fiscal year 2027, with automatic annual adjustments based on inflation, and requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to submit detailed annual reports on program funding, participation, and outcomes. Additionally, the bill mandates a Government Accountability Office study to examine how Medicare could potentially cover costs currently reimbursed through this program.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill increases funding for living organ donor reimbursement program, expanding financial assistance and removing income restrictions.75% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill expands financial assistance for living organ donors by removing income restrictions and increasing reimbursement amounts, directly strengthening healthcare access and support.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicare Public Health

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in committee · United States · House Mar 12, 2026

HR 7920: Take Back Our Hospitals Act of 2026

This bill, titled the Take Back Our Hospitals Act of 2026, would prohibit Medicare from paying hospitals or skilled nursing facilities owned or controlled by private equity funds, real estate investment trusts, or corporations owned by those funds. The law defines control as owning 10 percent or more of voting securities or having the power to direct management and policies through contracts or other means. Facilities currently owned by these firms would have a three-year transition period before the prohibition takes full effect. The bill also establishes joint and several liability, meaning the owning firm would be responsible for any penalties if the facility violates the rule, and provides for notice, hearings, and judicial review for affected facilities.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareBill restricts Medicare payments to facilities owned by private equity firms, limiting access to healthcare services and reducing available hospital capacity.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Long-Term Care Medicare

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