This bill requires the Veterans Health Administration to publish more detailed staffing and vacancy data for the public. It mandates that information about specific job positions be released monthly rather than quarterly, while other general staffing data continues to be updated on a quarterly schedule. The changes aim to increase transparency by making it easier to track open roles and workforce status at medical facilities. This legislation directly affects the VA's reporting processes and provides the public with more frequent access to employment information.
The EBOLA Act directs the President to rejoin the World Health Organization within 30 days and immediately collaborate with the agency to address the ongoing Ebola outbreak in Central and Eastern Africa. This legislation authorizes funding to cover the financial obligations required to restore U.S. membership and to support global response efforts aimed at preventing the virus from spreading internationally. The bill is based on the finding that infectious disease outbreaks pose significant threats to national security and public health, and that participation in the WHO is essential for effective disease monitoring and coordination.
This bill strengthens the enforcement of mental health and substance use disorder parity rules under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974. It expands the scope of penalties to include plan sponsors, service providers, and administrators who fail to meet existing parity requirements, while also adding a specific category for genetic information violations. To support these enforcement efforts, the legislation appropriates $30 million annually from 2027 through 2031 to the Employee Benefits Security Administration. These changes apply to group health plans starting one year after the law is enacted.
The Save MEDICARE Act of 2026 aims to improve the Medicare Advantage program by starting in 2028 with several changes to how health plans are paid and monitored. It requires the government to exclude diagnoses from chart reviews when calculating payments to prevent plans from inflating costs based on questionable data. The bill also speeds up audits and appeals to ensure faster resolution of coding disputes and introduces a new penalty system to recover overpayments from plans. Additionally, the law allows states to enforce Medicare rules within their borders and bans financial incentives for doctors based on how they code patient records. Finally, it establishes a mechanism for the Department of Veterans Affairs to recover costs when Medicare Advantage plans cover care that should have been paid for by the VA.
The MOMMIES Act expands Medicaid and CHIP coverage for low-income pregnant individuals by extending postpartum benefits from 60 days to one year and mandating full coverage of oral health services during this period. To support these changes, the bill includes a maintenance of effort provision that prevents states from reducing eligibility standards or benefit levels for pregnant individuals until 2027, alongside a 100 percent federal funding match for states that increase spending on this population. A major component is a five-year demonstration project that provides grants to states to implement maternity care home models, which coordinate comprehensive medical and social support services like housing assistance and mental health care to improve birth equity and outcomes. The legislation also requires the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to issue guidance on covering doula services and directs the Government Accountability Office to study the use of telehealth and gaps in coverage for pregnant and postpartum people.
The Medicaid RAC Improvement Act of 2026 strengthens oversight of the Medicaid Recovery Audit Contractor program to improve how states identify and recover improper payments. It requires the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to establish clear expiration dates for state exceptions to the program, mandate detailed annual reports on audit results, and ensure managed care organizations are included in these reviews. Additionally, the bill directs the agency to study barriers preventing states from participating and to launch a five-year demonstration project aimed at increasing state engagement. The legislation also extends the standard audit period to allow reviews of payments made over the previous four fiscal years.
The Keep Food Containers Safe from PFAS Act of 2026 prohibits the sale of food packaging that contains intentionally added PFAS chemicals starting on January 1, 2027. This law directly impacts manufacturers and distributors by banning the introduction of such packaging into interstate commerce. The bill specifically defines PFAS as a group of fluorinated organic chemicals that include at least one fully fluorinated methyl or methylene carbon atom. By amending the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the legislation ensures that food containers sold across state lines will not include these specific substances.
The Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act 2.0 of 2026 allows licensed addiction medicine specialists to prescribe methadone for opioid use disorder to be dispensed directly through pharmacies, rather than requiring patients to visit traditional treatment clinics. Under this bill, these practitioners must use electronic prescribing and can only dispense liquid or dispersible tablet formulations, while pharmacies do not need separate registration to handle these prescriptions. The law also permits telemedicine for maintenance or detoxification treatment and requires doctors to obtain informed consent from patients regarding how privacy protections differ between clinic and pharmacy settings. Additionally, the Attorney General can revoke a doctor's registration if a state requests it, and the Drug Enforcement Administration must report annually on the number of registered providers and pharmacies involved in the program.
The Reproductive Health Care Training Act of 2026 directs the Health Resources and Services Administration to create a grant program that funds medical schools and health centers to expand abortion care training for students and clinicians. These funds are specifically designated for states where such comprehensive training is legally permitted, with a priority given to institutions serving minority populations or those training providers for medically underserved communities. The bill outlines how the money can be used to develop clinical curricula, support telehealth practices, offer scholarships, and build partnerships to improve access to abortion services. Additionally, the legislation requires recipients to submit annual reports on program performance while ensuring federal funds supplement rather than replace existing state or private funding.
The No Medicare Clawbacks Act of 2026 prevents group health plans from taking back money they have already paid for medical services if a patient later becomes eligible for Medicare benefits. This rule applies specifically when the medical care was provided during a period of retroactive Medicare coverage and the patient was current on their required health plan contributions at the time of service. By amending the Social Security Act, the bill ensures that individuals do not face financial penalties for receiving care before their Medicare eligibility is officially recognized. The legislation directly affects employers offering group health plans and their employees who might otherwise face recouped payments due to delayed Medicare enrollment.
