Healthcare

in committee · United States · Senate Jul 22, 2025

S 2372: 340B PATIENTS Act of 2025

The 340B PATIENTS Act of 2025 clarifies that drug manufacturers must offer discounted prices under the 340B program to covered entities - such as community health centers, hospitals, and clinics - regardless of how or where drugs are dispensed, including through contracted pharmacies. It prohibits manufacturers from imposing restrictions on covered entities, such as limiting delivery locations, requiring extra data, or restricting how discounted drugs are used. The bill also establishes civil penalties for violations, including daily fines of up to $2 million, and allows covered entities to file claims for breaches of these rules. This ensures that covered entities can continue using contract pharmacies to access specialty drugs for patients with chronic or serious conditions.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareClarifies 340B discounts for covered entities, preventing restrictions that limit patient access to affordable medications. Directly enhances healthcare access for safety-net providers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Prescription Drugs

Track

in committee · United States · Senate Jun 3, 2025

S 1935: Expanding Access to Palliative Care Act

The Expanding Access to Palliative Care Act (S 1935) creates a new 5-year Medicare model to provide community-based palliative care for beneficiaries with serious illnesses like cancer, heart disease, dementia, or kidney disease. It directly affects Medicare beneficiaries who need symptom management and care coordination, including those who previously used hospice care (who cannot be excluded). The bill requires 24/7 access via telehealth or in-person care, a team-based approach with certified palliative specialists, and aims to reduce unnecessary emergency visits and hospitalizations. Key provisions include eliminating hospice history barriers, requiring care coordination across settings (including homes and hospitals), and measuring outcomes like emergency department use and patient experience.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill creates new Medicare model expanding community-based palliative care access for serious illnesses, requiring 24/7 telehealth/in-person care and removing exclusions, directly advancing patient access and coverage.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Medicare Telehealth

Track

in committee · United States · House Sep 4, 2025

HR 5127: PrEP and PEP are Prevention Act

This bill requires most health insurance plans to cover HIV prevention services - including PrEP and PEP drugs, related lab tests, counseling, and monitoring - without cost-sharing (like copays or deductibles) or prior approval. It applies to private insurance, Medicare, Medicaid/CHIP, and federal employee health plans, directly affecting people who use HIV prevention medications. Key provisions mandate 100% coverage for FDA-approved HIV prevention drugs, eliminate cost-sharing for these services, and prohibit insurers from requiring preauthorization for them. The bill defines covered services to include all necessary components of HIV prevention care as outlined in current public health guidelines.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates 100% insurance coverage for HIV prevention drugs without cost-sharing, expanding access to critical healthcare services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Children's Health Insurance Medicaid

Track

in committee · United States · Senate Feb 25, 2025

S 705: Innovation in Pediatric Drugs Act of 2025

This bill modifies requirements for pediatric drug studies, particularly for drugs treating rare diseases (orphan drugs). It requires the FDA to issue a noncompliance letter and allow 45 days for response before imposing penalties, and creates an automatic FDA waiver list for diseases where pediatric studies are impractical. Drug sponsors developing orphan drugs for rare conditions will benefit from clearer pathways, as the bill specifies when pediatric studies aren't required unless they offer meaningful therapeutic benefit. The FDA must also report on penalties for noncompliance and update its waiver lists, aiming to streamline development while improving pediatric data for rare diseases.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareStreamlines pediatric drug development for rare diseases, removing regulatory barriers to improve access to treatments for children with rare conditions.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Children's Health

Track

in committee · United States · Senate Jan 30, 2025

S 329: Keeping Drugs Out of Schools Act of 2025

S 329, the Keeping Drugs Out of Schools Act of 2025, authorizes federal grants to fund partnerships between local anti-drug coalitions and schools to implement evidence-based drug prevention programs. It directly affects elementary, middle, and high schools in communities with existing Drug-Free Communities coalitions, providing up to $75,000 per school annually for these partnerships. The bill requires grantees to submit detailed implementation plans and use funds to supplement, not replace, existing prevention funding. It allocates $7 million yearly (2026-2031) for these programs, with no more than 8% of funds allowed for administrative costs.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds school-based drug prevention programs via federal grants, supplementing existing resources to enhance student safety and well-being in K-12 settings.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds evidence-based drug prevention programs in schools, a public health initiative directly supporting healthcare topic of public health programs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Substance Abuse

Track

in committee · United States · House Nov 21, 2025

HR 6283: FOSTER Act

The FOSTER Act (HR 6283) creates a new federal grant program to fund opioid abuse prevention and treatment services specifically for children and caregivers in kinship care settings. It directs states and local agencies to use these funds for workforce training, health care services, and recruiting foster/adoptive parents to support kinship caregivers - defined as relatives (by blood, marriage, or adoption) raising children when biological parents cannot. The bill authorizes $255 million annually from 2028 through 2033, with 1% of funds dedicated to these services. This policy directly affects state/local agencies and kinship caregivers across the U.S., focusing on improving support systems for children in these arrangements.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllocates $255M for opioid treatment services and healthcare in kinship care, directly funding health services for vulnerable populations.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Substance Abuse Tags Children

Track

in committee · United States · House Sep 11, 2025

HR 5314: Randy Susen Visitation Rights Act of 2025

This bill requires skilled nursing facilities participating in Medicare and Medicaid to permit immediate visitation by any individual designated by a resident, with no restrictions beyond the resident's right to revoke consent at any time. It directly affects nursing home residents (who gain greater control over visitor access) and the facilities themselves (which must comply with this new rule). The key provision adds a specific requirement to both Medicare and Medicaid regulations, mandating that facilities allow access to at least one designated visitor without any additional limitations. The law does not impose new costs or alter facility operations beyond this visitation standard.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates unrestricted visitation rights for nursing home residents under Medicare/Medicaid, enhancing patient access and rights in healthcare facilities.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care Medicaid Medicare

Track

in committee · United States · House Feb 10, 2026

HR 7478: Patient Debt Relief Act

The Patient Debt Relief Act (HR 7478) requires Medicare-participating hospitals to implement new financial assistance and debt collection standards starting January 1, 2028. It prohibits hospitals from garnishing wages, placing home liens, or selling medical debt to collectors without offering income-based repayment plans (capping payments at 4% of monthly income) and providing clear eligibility information with bills. Hospitals failing to comply face civil penalties up to $1 million per violation, with annual audits and a public portal for patients to report noncompliance. The bill also creates a $100 million grant program to discharge medical debt for individuals meeting income thresholds (5% of income or household income ≤400% of poverty line). These changes directly affect hospitals and patients burdened by medical debt, aiming to standardize fair collection practices.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires hospitals to implement income-based repayment plans and prohibit aggressive debt collection, protecting patients from financial hardship related to medical care.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill prohibits wage garnishment and debt collection practices that harm workers, protecting employee financial stability and rights.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Medicare

Track

in committee · United States · House Jan 31, 2025

HR 890: Stopping Pharma’s Ripoffs and Drug Savings For All Act

This bill targets pharmaceutical companies that extend patent protection for the same drug through multiple overlapping patents, a practice sometimes called "evergreening." It creates a presumption that companies must disclaim patent term for subsequent patents covering the same drug after the first patent expires, unless they prove the patents cover truly distinct inventions. The bill also requires the U.S. Patent Office to review its processes to prevent issuing such overlapping patents and report findings within a year. This directly affects pharmaceutical companies holding multiple patents for single drugs and aims to reduce artificial extensions of drug exclusivity, potentially lowering costs for consumers and insurers.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill targets pharmaceutical patent evergreening to lower drug prices, improving patient access and reducing healthcare costs. Directly advances affordability in healthcare coverage.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Prescription Drugs

Track

signed · United States · Senate Jun 9, 2026

S 2393: Fiscal Year 2025 Veterans Affairs Major Medical Facility Authorization Act

This bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to construct a major medical facility project in St. Louis, Missouri, during fiscal year 2026. It specifically funds a new bed tower, expanded clinical buildings, a consolidated administrative building, warehouse, utility plant, and parking garages, with a maximum funding limit of $1,762,668,000. The bill directly affects veterans receiving care at the St. Louis VA medical facility by enabling physical infrastructure upgrades. It does not change existing VA benefits or policies but provides the necessary funding authorization for these construction projects. The authorization is for fiscal year 2026, not fiscal year 2025 as referenced in the bill's title.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAuthorizes $1.76B for VA facility construction, directly funding government healthcare infrastructure under fiscal appropriations.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds $1.76B for VA medical facility infrastructure, directly advancing veterans' healthcare access and services through physical upgrades.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill authorizes $1.76B for new VA medical facility construction in St. Louis, directly funding infrastructure to improve veterans' healthcare services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Veteran Healthcare