Healthcare

in committee · United States · House Mar 12, 2026

HR 7905: Diabetes Foot Health Access and Modernization Act of 2026

This bill, known as the Diabetes Foot Health Access and Modernization Act of 2026, makes two main changes to federal healthcare programs. First, it allows Medicaid to cover foot and ankle care services provided by podiatric physicians, ensuring patients have access to this specialized care. Second, it updates Medicare rules to clarify documentation requirements for diabetic shoes, specifying conditions under which patients can receive extra-depth or custom-molded footwear. The changes take effect on January 1, 2026, for Medicaid services and January 1, 2028, for Medicare shoe coverage.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill expands Medicaid coverage for podiatric services and clarifies Medicare diabetic shoe benefits, improving patient access to specialized foot care.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Medicare

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in committee · United States · House Mar 30, 2026

HRES 1147: Recognizing the United States legacy of dismissed pain and denied autonomy in women's health care, and affirming the Federal Government's duty to protect individual dignity and advance patient-centered care in women's health.

This resolution formally acknowledges historical and ongoing injustices in women's healthcare, particularly affecting marginalized groups such as Black, Indigenous, immigrant, LGBTQ+, disabled, and low-income women. It highlights specific issues including dismissed pain, lack of bodily autonomy, and past medical abuses like non-consensual sterilization and coercive contraceptive testing. The bill calls for patient-centered care, expanded research, and stronger protections for reproductive and gynecological health, while urging the federal government to address systemic bias in medical settings.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill affirms duty to protect patient dignity, advance patient-centered care, and calls for expanded research and protections for women's health, directly supporting healthcare improvements.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Women's Health

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in committee · United States · Senate Mar 12, 2026

S 4086: Patient Safety and Whistleblower Protections Act

This bill, known as the Patient Safety and Whistleblower Protections Act, would protect health care providers who raise concerns about patient safety or quality of care from retaliation by their employers. It prohibits health care facilities from taking adverse actions against practitioners who report issues to supervisors, state authorities, government officials, patient safety organizations, or the media after a 90-day waiting period. The law includes a rebuttable presumption that any negative employment action within 180 days of raising a concern is retaliation, and it nullifies contractual clauses that would prevent providers from speaking about patient safety issues.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill protects healthcare providers from retaliation when raising quality concerns, strengthening patient safety and healthcare system integrity.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill protects healthcare workers from retaliation when raising safety concerns, directly advancing worker rights and workplace protections.90% confidence

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in committee · United States · Senate Apr 29, 2026

S 3999: Women Veterans Specialty Care Access Act

This bill requires the Department of Veterans Affairs to allow women veterans to directly schedule appointments for women's specialty care without needing a referral from a primary care provider. The law applies to all women veterans enrolled in the VA system who are eligible for services such as gynecology, obstetrics, maternity, and postpartum care. Under the bill, these appointments must be available through VA medical centers, clinics, and online or telephone scheduling tools without additional administrative barriers. The provision does not change existing eligibility requirements for receiving VA healthcare services.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill improves access to women's specialty care for veterans by removing referral requirements, directly advancing healthcare access and patient rights.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill improves women veterans healthcare access by allowing direct scheduling for specialty care without referral requirements, strengthening VA services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Primary Care Women's Health Veteran Benefits Veteran Education Veteran Healthcare

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in committee · United States · Senate Mar 4, 2026

S 3989: Community TEAMS Act of 2026

This bill, known as the Community TEAMS Act of 2026, creates a new grant program to support medical student training in rural areas and medically underserved communities. It would allow medical schools to partner with local health clinics and federally qualified health centers to establish community-based training programs that include clinical rotations in outpatient settings. The grants, which can last 1 to 5 years, require applicants to submit detailed plans describing how the projects will improve healthcare access, ensure quality improvement, and sustain operations after federal funding ends. Eligible entities must be consortia that include at least one medical school and one rural or underserved health facility.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill creates grant program to support medical student training in rural and underserved areas, improving healthcare access and workforce development95% confidence

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in committee · United States · Senate Mar 19, 2026

S 3944: Women’s Heart Health Expansion Act of 2026

This bill, titled the Women's Heart Health Expansion Act of 2026, extends funding and authority for the WISEWOMAN program, which provides preventive health services to women. It authorizes $250 million over five years (2027-2031) for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to award supplemental grants for blood pressure, cholesterol, obesity, and diabetes screenings, along with health education and medical referrals. The program would be administered by existing WISEWOMAN grantees or other healthcare entities serving women eligible under current guidelines or identified as high-risk. Additionally, the bill requires a Government Accountability Office study by September 2027 to evaluate the program's reach, access barriers, and cost-effectiveness in improving cardiovascular health outcomes.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill allocates $250M over five years to expand preventive health services, screenings, and education for women through WISEWOMAN program.95% confidence

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in committee · United States · Senate Apr 13, 2026

S 4106: Rx ACCESS Act

This bill, known as the Rx ACCESS Act, aims to improve medication access for military beneficiaries enrolled in the TRICARE health program by allowing them to choose how they receive non-generic prescription maintenance medications starting in October 2026. It requires pharmacy benefit managers to reimburse retail pharmacies at least the actual cost of acquiring drugs plus a professional dispensing fee, and prohibits hidden fees on pharmacies. The bill also mandates annual audits by the Government Accountability Office to review reimbursement rates, pharmacy network adequacy, and beneficiary access, with results reported to congressional defense committees.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill improves medication access for military beneficiaries, removes hidden fees, and mandates fair reimbursement for pharmacies, directly strengthening healthcare access.90% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill improves medication access for military beneficiaries under TRICARE, strengthens healthcare benefits, and protects against hidden pharmacy fees.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Prescription Drugs Veteran Healthcare

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in committee · United States · House Feb 25, 2026

HR 7713: Combating Deceptive Practices in Assistance Programs Act of 2026

This bill, titled the Combating Deceptive Practices in Assistance Programs Act of 2026, modifies Medicaid eligibility requirements for personal care services. It directly affects individuals seeking assistance with daily living activities under the Medicaid program. The key provision adds a specific eligibility criterion requiring applicants to be unable to perform at least three activities of daily living as defined in the Internal Revenue Code. These changes would take effect for medical assistance provided on or after January 12, 2027.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill expands Medicaid eligibility for personal care services by clarifying criteria, improving access to assistance for daily living activities under the program.75% confidence

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care Medicaid

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in committee · United States · House Mar 16, 2026

HR 7747: State Veterans Homes Inspection Simplification Act

This bill, known as the State Veterans Homes Inspection Simplification Act, would allow certain State Veterans Homes that are already certified by the Department of Veterans Affairs to be automatically considered compliant with Medicare and Medicaid nursing home standards. Under this proposal, facilities meeting specific VA inspection and certification requirements would not need to undergo separate reviews by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, reducing duplication of effort. The legislation maintains oversight by requiring the VA to submit its inspection standards for review every two years, allowing CMS to conduct targeted surveys or complaints investigations, and mandating public reporting of inspection data on the Nursing Home Care Compare website. A Government Accountability Office report would be required three years after enactment to evaluate the bill's impact on survey efficiency, enforcement outcomes, and resident care quality.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill streamlines certification for State Veterans Homes, reducing regulatory duplication and improving operational efficiency for healthcare facilities serving veterans.75% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill streamlines certification for State Veterans Homes, reducing regulatory burden and improving access to veteran care facilities.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care Medicaid Medicare Veteran Benefits Veteran Healthcare Veteran Housing

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in committee · United States · House Mar 3, 2026

HR 7778: Medicaid PNA Modernization Act

Medicaid Personal Needs Allowance Modernization Act or the Medicaid PNA Modernization Act This bill increases the minimum monthly personal needs allowance under Medicaid for an institutionalized individual and couple from $30 to $60 and from $60 to $120, respectively. (The personal needs allowance is deducted from an individual's total income when determining the individual's contribution to the cost of institutionalized care under Medicaid.)

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill increases Medicaid personal needs allowances for institutionalized individuals, directly improving financial support and access to healthcare services.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Long-Term Care Medicaid

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