Healthcare (Medicare)

in committee · United States · Senate Sep 17, 2025

S 2836: POP Act

The POP Act prohibits a single entity from owning both a health insurance company and certain healthcare providers that receive Medicare payments (excluding hospitals, pharmacies, and specific equipment suppliers). It requires violators to sell off either the insurance business or the healthcare provider within 1-2 years, depending on when the ownership began. The law also bars Medicare Advantage and Part D plans from contracting with organizations that violate this rule starting in 2026, treating such contracts as false claims. Enforcement involves the FTC, DOJ, or state attorneys general, with penalties including selling assets and returning revenue to communities.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits anti-competitive insurance-provider ownership, promoting market fairness and patient access in Medicare services.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Medicare

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in committee · United States · House Jul 15, 2025

HR 4406: State-Based Universal Health Care Act of 2025

This bill would allow states to create their own universal health care systems by applying for waivers that replace federal health programs with state-based coverage. States would need to demonstrate they can cover at least 95% of residents within 5 years, maintain comparable benefits and affordability, and provide comprehensive coverage including reproductive health services. The federal government would redirect funds that would have gone to federal programs like Medicaid and Medicare to the states, with states required to submit regular reports on coverage progress and costs. The bill includes specific protections for Indian health care providers and ensures coverage for vulnerable populations without imposing new costs on them. This framework would apply to states that choose to implement their own universal health care system rather than relying on existing federal programs.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables state universal healthcare systems requiring 95% coverage, comprehensive benefits including reproductive health, and redirects federal funds to expand coverage beyond current programs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Medicare Women's Health

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in committee · United States · Senate Feb 26, 2026

S 3934: Medical Nutrition Therapy Act of 2026

This bill expands Medicare Part B coverage for medical nutrition therapy (MNT) to include more chronic conditions beyond diabetes and kidney disease. It directly affects Medicare beneficiaries with conditions like obesity, hypertension, heart disease, cancer, eating disorders, and others listed in the bill. Key provisions broaden the definition of covered conditions and allow additional healthcare providers (like nurse practitioners and clinical psychologists for eating disorders) to deliver MNT services. The change would make MNT services covered for prevention, management, or treatment of these additional conditions, as determined by the Secretary.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands Medicare Part B coverage for MNT to additional chronic conditions (obesity, heart disease, etc.) and allows more providers, directly improving patient access to covered services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Medicare

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in committee · United States · House Aug 1, 2025

HR 4849: Protecting Health Care and Lowering Costs Act of 2025

This bill adjusts health insurance subsidies by modifying the premium tax credit structure under the Internal Revenue Code. It replaces previous income thresholds with a sliding-scale formula, increasing subsidies for households earning between 150% and 400% of the federal poverty level - reducing their required premium payments as income rises within these tiers. The changes apply to tax years beginning after December 31, 2025, directly affecting middle-income individuals and families purchasing coverage through health insurance marketplaces. It also repeals specific provisions from a prior reconciliation law related to health care.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases tax credits for 150-400% FPL households, lowering health insurance costs via sliding-scale subsidies under tax code.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareIncreases subsidies for 150-400% FPL households, lowering premiums and expanding coverage access for middle-income families under health insurance tax credits.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Procurement Tax Credits Insurance Medicaid Medicare

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in committee · United States · House Feb 12, 2025

HJRES 58: Providing for congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States Code, of the rule submitted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services relating to "Medicare Program; Calendar Year (CY) 2025 Home Health Prospective Payment System (HH PPS) Rate Update; HH Quality Reporting Program Requirements; HH Value-Based Purchasing Expanded Model Requirements; Home Intravenous Immune Globulin (IVIG) Items and Services Rate Update; and Other Medicare Policies".

HJRES 58 is a procedural resolution requesting Congress reject a rule issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) for 2025. The rule would have set payment rates, quality reporting standards, and other policies for home health care services under Medicare, including updates for intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) treatments. This resolution, if passed, would block the CMS rule from taking effect, directly affecting home health care providers and Medicare beneficiaries who rely on these services. It does not create new policy but aims to prevent the implementation of the specific 2025 Medicare home health regulations.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareBill blocks CMS rule setting 2025 home health payment rates and quality standards, preventing implementation of healthcare policies that would have affected Medicare beneficiaries and providers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care Medicaid Medicare

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in committee · United States · House Feb 18, 2025

HR 1407: Permanent Telehealth from Home Act

This bill makes permanent Medicare telehealth services that allow patients to receive care from home, removing temporary pandemic-era restrictions. It eliminates geographic limitations and expands where telehealth can originate, so beneficiaries in rural or remote areas can consistently access virtual care without needing to travel. The key change modifies Medicare rules to remove expiration dates tied to public health emergencies, ensuring home-based telehealth remains covered indefinitely. This directly affects Medicare beneficiaries, particularly seniors and people with mobility challenges in underserved communities. The policy change simplifies access to routine care without requiring in-person visits.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMakes Medicare telehealth permanent, removes geographic restrictions, and expands access for rural patients, improving healthcare access and strengthening coverage.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill removes pandemic-era restrictions on telehealth, making technology-enabled healthcare permanently accessible without geographic limits, advancing technology adoption in healthcare.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicare Public Health Telehealth Tags Seniors

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in committee · United States · Senate Feb 12, 2026

S 3872: A bill to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide coverage for wigs as durable medical equipment under the Medicare program, and for other purposes.

This bill would add wigs (classified as cranial prostheses) to Medicare's coverage of durable medical equipment. It requires a dermatologist, oncologist, or treating physician to certify in writing that a wig is medically necessary due to hair loss caused by conditions like cancer, chemotherapy, or autoimmune diseases. Beneficiaries would need this certification to receive coverage for wigs under Medicare Part B. The change directly affects Medicare beneficiaries experiencing hair loss from these specific medical conditions.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands Medicare Part B coverage for medically necessary wigs as durable medical equipment, improving access for beneficiaries with hair loss due to medical conditions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicare

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in committee · United States · House Mar 5, 2025

HR 1867: To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to remove in-person requirements under Medicare for mental health services furnished through telehealth and telecommunications technology.

This bill removes the requirement for an initial in-person visit before Medicare beneficiaries can receive mental health services via telehealth. It eliminates geographic restrictions that previously limited telehealth access, allowing services to be provided from home or other locations without travel. The change applies immediately to mental health care and substance use disorder treatment, and permanently removes a 2025 deadline that would have ended expanded telehealth access for rural clinics and health centers. This directly affects Medicare patients seeking mental health support, particularly those in rural areas or with mobility challenges.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves in-person requirement for Medicare mental health telehealth, expanding access without geographic limits per bill summary.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyBill removes in-person requirements and geographic restrictions for telehealth, expanding telecommunications technology use in Medicare mental health services. Explicitly advances technology access and adoption.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill expands telehealth access for mental health services, which benefits veterans who may have limited access to in-person care, particularly in rural areas.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicare Mental Health Telehealth Telecommunications Veteran Mental Health

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in committee · United States · House Mar 3, 2025

HR 1805: ARCH Act

The ARCH Act extends Medicare payment protections for rural hospitals through 2031, specifically prolonging the Medicare-Dependent Hospital (MDH) and Medicare Low-Volume Hospital (LVH) programs that prevent payment cuts for financially vulnerable facilities. It requires the GAO to report on rural hospital classifications - including critical access hospitals, rural emergency hospitals, and others - to analyze overlaps and recommend simplifications. The report must also assess how changing cost-reporting rules might improve financial stability for rural hospitals. This bill directly affects rural hospitals qualifying under MDH or LVH designations, ensuring continued Medicare funding until 2031.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExtends Medicare payment protections for rural hospitals through 2031, preventing payment cuts for financially vulnerable facilities and ensuring continued healthcare access in rural areas.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Medicare Tags Rural Communities

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in committee · United States · Senate Apr 9, 2025

S 1399: Health Tech Investment Act

S 1399, the Health Tech Investment Act, creates a new Medicare payment category for algorithm-based healthcare services (like AI tools used in diagnosis or treatment) starting January 1, 2026. It requires Medicare to pay based on manufacturer costs (including software, staff, and overhead) and protects these services in the special payment category for at least five years, preventing reassignment without sufficient claims data. This directly affects Medicare beneficiaries receiving these AI-driven services and healthcare technology companies developing them. The bill also codifies existing Medicare payment rules for software-as-a-service starting January 1, 2023.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates Medicare payment category for AI healthcare services, funding and protecting new tech to expand access to AI-driven diagnostics/treatment under Medicare.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyCreates Medicare payment for AI healthcare services, funds algorithm-based tools, and protects them for 5 years, directly advancing tech adoption in healthcare.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicare Telehealth Artificial Intelligence

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