Healthcare

in committee · United States · Senate Jul 10, 2025

S 2239: Improving Access to Prenatal Care for Military Families Act

S 2239, the "Improving Access to Prenatal Care for Military Families Act," allows pregnant service members and their dependents to enroll in TRICARE Select health coverage immediately upon pregnancy, treating it as a qualifying event (like a job change or separation) rather than requiring them to wait for other life events. The bill establishes a 5-year pilot program starting within 180 days of enactment, requiring the Secretary of Defense to implement this change and report annually to Congress on enrollment trends. These reports must detail enrollment changes by month and by specific circumstances, such as separation from duty or pregnancy itself. The bill directly affects military families seeking timely prenatal care under TRICARE Select, aiming to streamline access without altering existing eligibility rules.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands TRICARE coverage for pregnant military members immediately upon pregnancy, removing waiting periods and improving access to prenatal care.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Women's Health

Track

in committee · United States · House Jul 10, 2025

HR 4309: National Concussion and Traumatic Brain Injury Clearinghouse Act of 2025

HR 4309 creates a federal clearinghouse to centralize verified information on concussions and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). The clearinghouse, to be established within 120 days of enactment, will provide medical professionals with best-practice guidelines and patients with access to certified providers and reliable resources. It requires the Health and Human Services Secretary, CDC Director, or Labor Secretary to jointly designate a lead official to manage the system, with the CDC Director automatically serving if no agreement is reached. The initiative directly benefits healthcare providers seeking updated treatment protocols and patients needing trustworthy information about care options.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates federal clearinghouse for concussion/TBI resources, providing medical guidelines and patient access to certified providers, advancing healthcare services and information access.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransClearinghouse improves TBI healthcare access, a critical veteran health concern, though not explicitly named.85% confidence

Track

in committee · United States · Senate Jan 9, 2025

S 62: America First Act

The America First Act would restrict eligibility for numerous federal benefit programs based on immigration status. It requires verification of citizenship or lawful immigration status for programs including Medicaid, Medicare, Head Start, school meals, WIC, the Child Tax Credit, Earned Income Tax Credit, and housing assistance. The bill specifically would deny benefits to individuals who are unlawfully present in the U.S. or who have certain immigration statuses including parolees, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipients, DACA recipients, and asylum seekers. These provisions would directly affect millions of immigrants and their families who currently qualify for these programs. The bill would also prohibit use of FEMA assistance for certain non-citizens and limit access to postsecondary financial aid based on immigration status.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesRestricts eligibility for federal benefits including tax credits (EITC), reducing government spending on programs like Medicaid and WIC.95% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRestricts school meal and Head Start access by denying benefits to immigrants, limiting educational access for affected students95% confidence ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareRestricts Medicaid, Medicare, and WIC eligibility for undocumented immigrants, directly limiting access to healthcare benefits and public health programs.95% confidence ✗ HousingOpposes HousingDenies housing assistance to undocumented immigrants and parolees, restricting access to federal housing benefits95% confidence ✗ ImmigrationOpposes ImmigrationRestricts federal benefits for undocumented and certain immigrant statuses, denying access to Medicaid, housing assistance, and other programs per bill summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax Tax Credits Early Childhood Student Financial Aid Student Health Medicaid Medicare Community Development Property Development Citizenship & Naturalization DACA & Dreamers Work Authorization

Track

in committee · United States · House Jan 15, 2026

HR 7104: Immediate Access for the Terminally Ill Act

HR 7104, the "Immediate Access for the Terminally Ill Act," allows individuals diagnosed with a terminal illness on a published Social Security list to receive disability benefits without the standard 5-month waiting period. To qualify, the illness must have a life expectancy of 5 years or less, no known cure, and be listed under the Compassionate Allowance program. If elected at the time of application (and irrevocably), beneficiaries receive 93% of their standard disability benefit amount. The Social Security Administration must publish and update this list every 5 years, with Congress requiring separate approval for new additions to the list.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves 5-month waiting period for disability benefits, enabling faster access to critical support for terminally ill patients, aligning with healthcare access improvement.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill expands access to disability benefits by eliminating waiting periods for terminally ill individuals, directly strengthening worker benefit protections under employment standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Unemployment

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in committee · United States · House Jan 6, 2026

HR 6940: Hope Heals Act of 2026

HR 6940, the Hope Heals Act of 2026, directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to assess how federal agencies can better identify individuals in mental health crises and coordinate suicide prevention resources. Within 180 days of enactment, HHS must evaluate sharing information, best practices, and screening tools like the PHQ-3 across departments including Veterans Affairs, Defense, and Education. The assessment requires consultation with mental health experts and must result in a report to Congress with recommendations for improving crisis identification and support. Federal agencies would then implement these recommendations to enhance coordination and awareness of mental health crisis signs.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates HHS assessment to improve mental health crisis coordination and suicide prevention resources, directly supporting mental health services.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill explicitly requires HHS to assess coordination with VA for mental health crisis resources, directly targeting veterans' healthcare needs through suicide prevention coordination.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Mental Health Veteran Mental Health

Track

in committee · United States · Senate Mar 13, 2025

S 1036: Improving Access to Addiction Medicine Providers Act

This bill amends an existing fellowship program under the Public Health Service Act to specifically include "addiction medicine" as a qualifying specialty. It modifies Section 597 to expand the program's scope, allowing medical professionals training in addiction medicine to participate in the Minority Fellowship Program. The change directly affects physicians and medical trainees seeking fellowship opportunities in addiction medicine, particularly those from underrepresented groups, by making this specialty eligible for the program. The bill does not create new funding or programs but adjusts the existing program's eligibility criteria.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands addiction medicine training to reduce recidivism via rehabilitation, aligning with criminal justice reform goals.85% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands fellowship opportunities for addiction medicine providers, improving access to mental health services and supporting underrepresented medical trainees.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health Substance Abuse

Track

in committee · United States · House Mar 6, 2025

HR 1899: Audio-Only Telehealth Access Act of 2025

The Audio-Only Telehealth Access Act of 2025 would require Medicare to cover and pay for telehealth visits conducted over the phone (audio-only), not requiring video, during the emergency period defined in the Social Security Act. This change would directly affect Medicare beneficiaries - particularly older adults or those in rural areas with limited internet access - and healthcare providers who offer telehealth services. The bill amends Section 1834(m)(9) of the Social Security Act to include audio-only visits under existing Medicare coverage rules, ensuring providers receive reimbursement at the same rate as video telehealth. It expands access to care by removing the need for video technology during the specified emergency period.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires Medicare to cover audio-only telehealth visits, expanding access for rural/elderly beneficiaries with limited internet, directly improving patient access and coverage under healthcare policy.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyAllows Medicare telehealth via phone, bypassing internet requirements for rural/elderly beneficiaries, promoting digital equity without internet access barriers.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicare Mental Health Telehealth Broadband Access

Track

in committee · United States · House Dec 4, 2025

HR 6442: Supporting Healthy Pregnancy Act

HR 6442, the Supporting Healthy Pregnancy Act, requires states to establish child support obligations for biological fathers to pay at least 50% of a mother's reasonable out-of-pocket medical expenses related to pregnancy and delivery, but only if the mother requests it. The bill directly affects biological fathers (who must pay), mothers (who can request payment), and state child support enforcement systems (which must implement the requirement). Key provisions include excluding abortion-related expenses from coverage and defining abortion to clarify that expenses for terminating a pregnancy (except for specific medical reasons like ectopic pregnancy) do not qualify. The law would take effect January 1 of the first year after enactment, with states needing time to update their plans if state legislation is required.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires fathers to cover pregnancy/delivery medical costs, reducing out-of-pocket expenses for mothers and improving access to healthcare services.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Women's Health

Track

in committee · United States · House Jun 11, 2025

HR 3911: Choose Medicare Act

The Choose Medicare Act would establish a new Medicare Part E public health plan available across individual, small group, and large group insurance markets. This plan would provide comprehensive coverage including all essential health benefits, gold-level coverage, and reproductive services, with premiums negotiated to be at least as favorable as current Medicare rates. The bill would create a $6,700 annual out-of-pocket spending limit for Medicare beneficiaries starting in 2027, require employers to refer employees without adequate coverage to navigators, and change premium assistance credits to use gold-level plans as the benchmark. It would also establish a $2 billion startup fund for the program and expand reduced cost-sharing for lower-income individuals.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes new Medicare Part E with comprehensive coverage, reproductive services, and $6,700 out-of-pocket limit, expanding access and reducing costs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Medicare Public Health

Track

in committee · United States · House Mar 2, 2026

HR 7489: Georgetown VA Community-Based Outpatient Clinic Authorization Act of 2026

HR 7489, the Georgetown VA Community-Based Outpatient Clinic Authorization Act of 2026, authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to construct a new outpatient clinic in Georgetown, Texas, for veterans in the area. The bill specifically allocates up to $96,448,066 for this project in fiscal year 2027, designating it as a major medical facility. This concrete action directly affects veterans residing near Georgetown by providing access to expanded healthcare services at a new facility.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $96M for VA clinic construction, directly funding essential healthcare infrastructure under federal budget appropriations.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAllocates $96M for new VA clinic construction, directly expanding veteran healthcare access through facility funding and major medical facility designation.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransAuthorizes construction of new VA clinic in Georgetown, TX, allocating $96M for expanded veteran healthcare access and services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Primary Care Veteran Healthcare Veteran Housing

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