The Rural Service and Workforce Corps Act creates a program offering scholarships, tuition assistance, student loan repayment, stipends, and relocation incentives to individuals who commit to working for three years in rural areas with critical workforce shortages. It prioritizes filling gaps in health care (including primary care and behavioral health), skilled trades (like electricians and plumbers), energy infrastructure (lineworkers and renewable technicians), and utilities (water operators and broadband technicians). Designated areas include persistent poverty counties, health professional shortage areas, and regions with Native American communities. Employers meeting wage and training standards - such as public agencies, nonprofits, and tribal organizations - can participate to recruit and retain workers in these targeted sectors.
HR 961, the Veterans Access to Direct Primary Care Act, establishes a 5-year pilot program allowing eligible veterans enrolled in VA care to use health savings accounts for primary care services from non-VA providers. Eligible veterans would receive annual deposits into a savings account to cover direct primary care fees, preventive screenings, and medications, but could not use VA care for services included in the arrangement during the program. The program, managed by the VA’s Center for Innovation, requires fraud prevention measures and annual reports to Congress. It affects VA-enrolled veterans who opt into the pilot, with funding drawn from existing VA budgets and no new appropriations. The pilot terminates after five years, with no permanent change to VA care access.
This bill establishes a HUD demonstration program to connect homeless individuals with behavioral health needs to treatment services. It awards up to 10 grants to Continuums of Care (CoCs) in the 5 states with the highest homelessness rates per capita, provided they're within 50 miles of a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic. The program refers "qualified participants" - homeless individuals receiving supportive housing or disability benefits - to these clinics for mental health, substance use, and behavioral health treatment. It authorizes $50 million (2025-2029) and requires a report on program outcomes, including whether participants received Social Security disability benefits.
New Era of Preventing End-Stage Kidney Disease Act This bill establishes regional centers of excellence, postgraduate fellowships, and training for health professionals relating to the diagnosis and treatment of rare kidney disease. It also requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to conduct various studies on rare kidney disease. Specifically, it authorizes the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases to award funding to public and private nonprofit entities for establishing regional centers of excellence that will increase public awareness, conduct research, and develop resources for diagnosing and treating rare kidney diseases. A center may receive such funding for up to five years, unless extended by the institute. The bill also requires health professions schools receiving a grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Centers of Excellence program to award fellowships for training on preventing, diagnosing, and treating rare kidney disease in disproportionately impacted populations. Also, the bill expands the priorities of HRSA’s Primary Care Training and Enhancement program to include training for health care workers to care for individuals with kidney disease. Additionally, HHS must conduct several studies and report to Congress on topics such as treating rare kidney disease in disproportionately affected populations, eliminating the need for dialysis or kidney transplants, and increasing public awareness of rare kidney disease.
The Copay Fairness for Veterans Act (HR 1644) eliminates out-of-pocket costs for veterans receiving preventive health services through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). It removes copayments for medications and hospital care related to preventive services, including evidence-based items rated A/B by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, CDC-recommended immunizations, and women's preventive care like contraceptives and screenings under specific guidelines. The bill directly affects veterans using VA healthcare for these preventive services, ensuring they pay nothing for covered care. It amends existing VA law to define "preventive health services" broadly and removes financial barriers for these specific health interventions.
HR 1699, the TOTAL Care Act, removes referral requirements for obstetrical and gynecological (OB/GYN) care under the TRICARE Prime health plan. It allows female TRICARE Prime beneficiaries to directly choose an OB/GYN provider as their primary care manager, eliminating the need for a prior referral from another provider. The bill establishes a 5-year pilot program to test this change, requiring the Secretary of Defense to report on enrollment shifts, cost impacts, and other outcomes after four years. This directly affects female military family members enrolled in TRICARE Prime who opt into the pilot.
The Colorectal Cancer Payment Fairness Act eliminates out-of-pocket costs for Medicare beneficiaries receiving colorectal cancer screenings. It amends Medicare rules to remove coinsurance requirements, ensuring 100% coverage for these screenings starting in 2027 (replacing the previous 85% coverage through 2026). This directly affects Medicare beneficiaries, particularly seniors and older adults eligible for preventive care. The key mechanism is a straightforward policy change to the Medicare payment structure for these specific screenings, removing cost-sharing barriers to encourage early detection. The bill does not alter funding or create new programs, only adjusting existing coverage terms.
The SAFE Act requires Medicare to cover falls risk assessments and fall prevention services for seniors aged 65+ who have fallen in the previous year. These services, provided by physical or occupational therapists, will be included in Medicare's annual wellness visits and initial preventive physical exams starting January 1, 2026. The bill also mandates annual reports to Congress beginning in 2027 on falls among seniors aged 65+ that required treatment for fall-related injuries. This policy directly affects Medicare beneficiaries with a documented history of falls by adding targeted preventive care to their covered benefits.
The Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act creates federal funding programs to improve training for health professionals in palliative and hospice care. It authorizes $15 million annually for 2026-2030 to support grants for education programs that train doctors, nurses, social workers, and other health professionals in palliative care. The bill prioritizes programs serving rural or medically underserved areas, pediatric patients, and racial/ethnic minority populations. It establishes specific training requirements including interprofessional team-based care, patient and family engagement, and integration with primary care settings. The legislation also includes provisions to disseminate information about palliative care benefits to patients, families, and health professionals.
This bill creates two federal grant programs to support medical residency training in rural areas. The first program provides grants to eligible organizations (like rural hospitals, health centers, and medical schools) to establish or expand residency programs where doctors train in rural settings for over half their residency time, focusing on primary care, high-need specialties, or maternal health. The second program funds technical assistance grants to help these organizations apply for and run the training programs. The bill authorizes $12.7 million annually from 2026 to 2030, with grants for the training programs lasting up to 3 years and technical assistance grants up to 4 years.
