Rep. Larry Bucshon

Maddy summaryThis bill aims to increase participation in clinical trials among underrepresented populations - including racial/ethnic minorities, rural residents, and other historically excluded groups - by addressing financial and logistical barriers. It creates federal grants to fund community outreach, training for diverse clinical trial staff, and partnerships with community organizations. The bill also allows sponsors to cover participants' out-of-pocket costs (like travel and meals) and provide necessary digital tools without violating fraud laws, while making such payments tax-free up to $2,000 per year. These changes directly affect drug/device manufacturers, clinical trial sites, and underserved communities seeking equitable access to medical research.

Maddy summaryHR 8075, the Improving Access to Home Dialysis Act of 2024, creates a new "staff-assisted home dialysis" program to help patients who need in-person support at home for kidney dialysis treatments. It requires Medicare to add a payment increase for providers who offer this service, where trained staff (like nurses or technicians) assist patients during their initial home dialysis setup, recovery from hospitalization, or temporary needs due to illness or caregiver unavailability. The bill also mandates patient education on this option and establishes training methods, including telehealth and group sessions, to help patients and caregivers learn home dialysis skills. It further requires studies on racial disparities in home dialysis access and the development of a patient decision tool to help choose dialysis settings. The law directly affects Medicare dialysis patients needing assistance, their care providers, and Medicare's payment structure for home dialysis services.

Maddy summaryThe SOAR Act of 2024 removes supplemental oxygen and related equipment, supplies, and services from Medicare's competitive bidding program, ensuring direct Medicare payment for these items starting in 2025. It establishes new payment rates for oxygen services, including specific rates for rural areas and liquid oxygen with annual inflation adjustments, and requires oxygen suppliers to provide specific services like initial evaluations, safety education, and 24-hour coverage. The bill also adds respiratory therapist services to Medicare coverage with a new payment add-on, requires electronic templates for documenting medical necessity for oxygen services, and establishes new beneficiary rights including the right to choose suppliers and receive timely equipment repairs. This legislation directly affects Medicare beneficiaries requiring oxygen therapy, oxygen suppliers, and respiratory therapists by changing how these services are paid for and delivered.

Maddy summaryHR 7142 (Alternatives to PAIN Act) requires Medicare Part D plans to cover non-opioid pain management drugs with no deductible and at the lowest copay level starting in 2025. It defines "qualifying non-opioid drugs" as FDA-approved medications that don’t act on opioid receptors (like certain NSAIDs or nerve pain treatments), excluding opioids and schedule I-III drugs. The bill prohibits Medicare plans from forcing patients to try opioids first (step therapy) or requiring prior approval for these non-opioid options. It directly affects Medicare beneficiaries needing pain management, especially those seeking alternatives to opioids for post-surgical or acute pain. The policy change aims to improve access to non-addictive pain treatments while preserving doctors' authority to prescribe medically appropriate care.

Maddy summaryThis bill expands Medicare coverage to include additional FDA-approved lung cancer screening tests beyond the current standard. It allows the Medicare program to cover new preventive screening tests for eligible beneficiaries, determined by the Secretary, with frequency and payment limits set by Medicare. The key mechanism updates Medicare's coverage rules to permit these new tests using the existing national coverage determination process, without requiring additional regulatory steps. This change directly affects Medicare beneficiaries who qualify for lung cancer screening, potentially increasing access to newer, evidence-based screening options. The bill applies to Part B Medicare coverage for screenings provided on or after its effective date.

Maddy summaryThe Preserving Seniors’ Access to Physicians Act of 2023 increases the Medicare payment adjustment rate for physicians from 1.25% to 4.62%, directly affecting doctors who treat Medicare patients (primarily seniors). It also reduces the funding for the Medicaid improvement fund from $5,796,117,810 to $3,973,117,810. These changes impact Medicare providers and Medicaid programs, with the Medicare adjustment aimed at supporting physicians adjusting to payment changes. The bill does not specify how the Medicaid funding reduction relates to its stated goal of preserving seniors' access to physicians.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Medicare's physician fee schedule to better align with current healthcare costs and support providers. It extends a key deadline for geographic payment adjustments from 2024 to 2025, increases the rate for payment adjustments from 1.25% to 3%, and extends incentive payments for doctors in alternative payment models (APMs) through 2026. For 2026, it imposes payment reductions (34% for 4-6 years in APMs, 67% for 7+ years) but allows exceptions if providers increased their financial risk compared to 2025. The bill also raises Medicare's budget neutrality threshold to $53 million in 2025 and requires regular updates to cost data (like staff wages and equipment prices) every five years. These changes directly affect Medicare-participating physicians, especially those in APMs, by altering payment calculations and incentives.

Maddy summaryHR 6465, the PLASMA Act, amends Medicare Part D's discount program to create a specific phase-in for plasma-derived specialty drugs. It directly affects Medicare Part D beneficiaries who use these drugs and reach their annual out-of-pocket spending limit. The bill establishes a new "specified plasma-derived product percent" to calculate discounted prices for these drugs, based on whether beneficiaries have already met their out-of-pocket threshold for other Part D drugs. This changes how manufacturers' negotiated prices are discounted for plasma-derived products under the existing program, without creating new benefits or altering coverage.

Maddy summaryThis bill updates Medicare physician payment rules to improve stability and accuracy. It raises the budget neutrality threshold from $20 million (pre-2025) to $53 million in 2025, with annual indexing after 2026, to prevent excessive payment adjustments. The bill requires the Medicare program to correct budget neutrality payments based on actual service utilization data (not estimates) starting in 2025, and mandates updating direct cost inputs (like staff wages and equipment prices) every 5 years. It also caps annual changes to the physician payment conversion factor at 2.5% to limit sudden payment shifts, directly affecting Medicare physicians and healthcare providers receiving these payments.

Maddy summaryHR 6020, the Honor Our Living Donors Act, amends federal law to ensure living organ donors are fully reimbursed for qualifying expenses without considering the recipient's income. It prohibits organ recipients from having their income factored into reimbursement calculations and requires the Secretary to annually report whether current funding covers all donor expenses, including estimates of unmet needs. This bill directly affects living organ donors and the federal reimbursement program under the Public Health Service Act.