Rep. Janice D. Schakowsky

Maddy summaryHRES 1617 is a non-binding resolution expressing the House of Representatives' view that the federal government should dramatically expand and strengthen the care economy. It calls for federal investments to address systemic gaps in care infrastructure, including universal access to affordable childcare, elder care, paid family leave, and mental health services, while prioritizing higher wages and union protections for care workers - particularly women of color and immigrants. The resolution emphasizes repairing historical inequities rooted in exclusion from labor protections and connecting care infrastructure to broader goals like climate justice and economic equity. It does not create new law but urges future legislation to adopt these principles as a foundation for policy. The resolution directly affects millions of care workers, families relying on care services, and communities facing systemic barriers to care access.

Maddy summaryThis bill, the Protecting Medicare Beneficiaries with Pre-Existing Conditions Act, removes age restrictions for obtaining Medicare supplemental insurance (Medigap) by ensuring all Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in Parts A and B can buy such plans without being denied due to pre-existing health conditions. It specifically eliminates the current requirement that beneficiaries be 65 or older to qualify for guaranteed Medigap coverage. The bill also creates a one-time 6-month enrollment period for individuals previously ineligible due to age but now eligible under the new rules, and extends guaranteed Medigap access to those who disenroll from Medicare Advantage plans. These changes will take effect for new Medigap policies starting January 1, 2025, with full implementation required by 2030.

Maddy summaryHR 9774, the Health Care Affordability Act of 2024, would expand premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act for households earning between 150% and 400% of the federal poverty level. It modifies the sliding scale calculation to reduce the percentage of monthly insurance premiums these households must pay, with the lowest out-of-pocket costs for those near 400% of poverty. This directly affects individuals and families purchasing health insurance through marketplace plans who qualify for these tax credits. The changes apply to tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.

Maddy summaryThe Protecting and Preserving Social Security Act creates a new Consumer Price Index for Elderly Consumers (CPI-E) to calculate Social Security cost-of-living adjustments, replacing the current index used for these calculations. It changes how high earners' income is counted for Social Security taxes and benefits, with a decreasing percentage (86% in 2025, decreasing annually to 0% after 2030) of income above the contribution base being counted. The bill also modifies how surplus earnings (income above the Social Security base) are included in benefit calculations, creating a new formula that includes 3% of surplus earnings up to a certain limit. These changes primarily affect Social Security beneficiaries and high-earning workers who reach retirement age after 2024, while ensuring any benefit increases won't impact eligibility for Supplemental Security Income or Medicaid.

Maddy summaryThe SWIFT Act (HR 9234) amends Social Security provisions to benefit widows, widowers, and surviving divorced spouses. It eliminates reductions in benefits for those claiming survivors benefits before retirement age due to disabilities. The bill increases the age limit for child-in-care benefits from 16 to 18 (or 19 for full-time students). It also creates new provisions allowing beneficiaries who delay claiming benefits to receive increased amounts. These changes apply to benefits payable on or after January 1, 2025.

Maddy summaryHR 9132, the Chronic Condition Copay Elimination Act, requires health plans and insurance issuers to cover specific preventive care and screenings for individuals with certain chronic conditions without cost-sharing (like copays or deductibles). It directly affects people with conditions including heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, asthma, depression, and others listed in the bill. The law mandates that the Secretary of Health and Human Services determine which preventive services meet three criteria: being low-cost, having medical evidence of effectiveness in preventing complications, and reducing future high-cost treatments. Coverage must be updated every three years based on new evidence, applying to plan years starting one year after the bill’s enactment.

Maddy summaryHR 8796, the "Stop Comstock Act," removes outdated restrictions from federal law that previously banned the distribution of materials related to contraception and abortion as "obscene" or "indecent." The bill amends Title 18 and the Tariff Act by deleting references to "indecent," "immoral," "unlawful abortion," and "procuring abortion" from provisions governing obscene materials. It clarifies that the law only prohibits "obscene materials" in commerce, eliminating broad restrictions on reproductive health information. This directly affects internet platforms, healthcare providers, and individuals sharing reproductive health resources by removing legal barriers to their distribution.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires Medicare Advantage plans to implement electronic prior authorization systems by 2027 and publish detailed data on their approval and denial rates for medical services by 2026. It directly affects Medicare Advantage plans (private insurers offering Medicare coverage) and their enrollees (seniors 65+), mandating transparency about prior authorization decisions, processing times, and appeal outcomes. Key provisions include requiring plans to report annual statistics on request approvals/denials, average processing times, and use of technology, with this data published publicly by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The bill also sets timelines for plan responses to prior authorization requests and mandates reports to Congress on implementation and impacts.

Maddy summaryThe End Polluter Welfare Act of 2024 eliminates numerous subsidies and tax benefits for fossil fuel companies by repealing provisions that provide royalty relief, reducing royalty rates, and ending tax incentives for oil, natural gas, and coal production. The bill prohibits federal funding for fossil fuel projects by restricting international financial institutions, the Export-Import Bank, and the Department of Transportation from supporting fossil fuel infrastructure. It also repeals recent legislation that provided fossil fuel subsidies, including parts of the Fiscal Responsibility Act and Inflation Reduction Act. This comprehensive approach directly affects oil, gas, and coal producers by removing financial benefits that have historically supported the fossil fuel industry, while directing studies to identify and eliminate additional fossil fuel subsidies.

Maddy summaryThe Increasing Mental Health Options Act of 2024 would expand access to mental health care in rural and underserved areas by providing a 10% financial incentive to clinical psychologists who serve Medicare patients in designated health professional shortage areas starting in 2025. It also removes requirements for clinical psychologists to have physician supervision in specific Medicare-covered settings - such as outpatient rehabilitation centers, skilled nursing facilities, and home health services - when state law permits. These changes aim to encourage more clinical psychologists to work in areas with mental health provider shortages. The bill directly affects clinical psychologists and Medicare beneficiaries in underserved communities by streamlining access to mental health services.