Rep. Michael Lawler

Maddy summaryHR 9417, the Early Access to Screening Act, requires Medicare, Medicaid, and private health plans to cover annual screening mammograms at no cost for women aged 30 and older starting January 1, 2025. Previously, Medicare covered annual screenings only for women 40 and older, while this bill lowers the age threshold and prohibits cost-sharing (like copays) for these services. It specifically affects women over 29 years old who receive care through federal health programs or private insurance plans. The bill amends key health coverage provisions to standardize this benefit across all major insurance systems, effective in 2025.

Maddy summaryHR 9370 requires state agencies administering SNAP, WIC, and TANF programs to inform beneficiaries about card skimming and cloning fraud risks, prevention steps, how to report stolen benefits, and the replacement process. It mandates that states provide clear, plain-language guidance on avoiding fraud and accessing support if benefits are stolen. The bill also directs the USDA to issue cybersecurity rules within one year, requiring states to transition to chip-enabled EBT cards within five years to match private-sector security standards. This applies to all recipients of these federally funded assistance programs, directly protecting vulnerable populations from financial fraud.

Maddy summaryHR 9269, the IVF Access and Affordability Act, creates a non-refundable federal tax credit for individuals paying out-of-pocket costs for fertility treatments like IVF. It allows a $20,000 credit per person ($40,000 for joint filers) for "assisted reproductive technology" expenses, subject to income limits ($200,000 AGI for singles, $400,000 for joint filers). The credit cannot be claimed for expenses covered by insurance or previously deducted, and unused credit can be carried forward for up to five years. This directly affects individuals or families undergoing fertility treatments who pay costs not covered by insurance and meet income thresholds.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a new Medicare payment model for emergency medical services (EMS) that allows coverage when ambulance providers deliver critical care on-site without transporting patients to a hospital. It directly affects Medicare beneficiaries receiving such on-site emergency care and ambulance providers who would previously not be reimbursed for non-transport services. The key provision requires Medicare to pay for these services at rates matching what would have been paid for transport, based on state protocols and emergency call responses, for a 5-year trial period. A report due 4 years after implementation will evaluate impacts on patient outcomes, system efficiency, and regional access.

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 summaryHR 8599, the Oral Health Products Inclusion Act, expands tax-advantaged health account coverage by allowing expenses for specific oral care products to be treated as qualified medical expenses. The bill adds toothbrushes (manual or electric), water flossers, and FDA-approved over-the-counter anticaries or antiplaque products (like certain toothpastes or rinses) to the list of eligible expenses under Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), Archer MSAs, and health flexible spending accounts (FSAs)/health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs). This directly affects individuals who use these tax-advantaged accounts to pay for routine oral health products out-of-pocket. The policy change requires these products to be FDA-recognized as safe and effective for topical use on teeth or gums, without altering the products themselves or their medical use.

Maddy summaryHR 8586, the TOOMAJ Act, mandates U.S. sanctions against Iranian judges and prosecutors in the Islamic Revolutionary Courts who oversee cases involving political prisoners. It requires the President to annually determine and impose sanctions - using existing authorities like Executive Order 13818 - on officials involved in inhumane treatment, torture, or unfair trials of protesters and dissidents. The bill targets those handling cases stemming from Iran's crackdown on the Woman Life Freedom movement, following documented abuses like coerced confessions and executions. It aims to hold accountable judicial figures facilitating human rights violations, as detailed in the UN Fact-Finding Mission's 2024 report.

Maddy summaryThe MEGOBARI Act directs the U.S. government to investigate and address democratic backsliding in Georgia. It requires reports within 90 days on Georgian corruption tied to Russian interests, sanctions evasion, and Russian intelligence assets, followed by potential sanctions against Georgian officials deemed responsible for undermining democracy or advancing Russian-style laws. The bill also establishes a U.S. democracy monitoring task force in Georgia and links additional U.S. aid - including trade negotiations, visa liberalization, economic packages, and defense support - to Georgia's progress toward fair elections and a free political environment. These provisions directly affect Georgia's government officials (who could face sanctions) and Georgia's eligibility for U.S. assistance. The bill does not impose new sanctions but mandates U.S. agencies to identify and sanction specific Georgian individuals under existing legal authorities.

Maddy summaryThis bill corrects payment calculations for Medicare Advantage (MA) plans in service areas where wage index increases exceeded 20% in prior years, addressing an underestimation in growth projections. It requires the Medicare Secretary to adjust 2025 and prior year (back to 2024) payment growth rates for affected plans to reflect actual local wage trends. The adjustment applies specifically to MA local plans in service areas with significant average wage index increases. This ensures payments better match actual cost growth in those regions, with changes implemented immediately for 2025 rates.

Maddy summaryThe Essential Caregivers Act of 2024 requires nursing homes and similar facilities to allow residents to designate essential caregivers who provide emotional support or assistance with daily activities. During emergencies when regular visitation is restricted, facilities must permit at least one essential caregiver access to residents daily and cannot deny access without following specific procedures. Facilities may deny access for a maximum of 7 days during emergencies (or 14 days with state approval), and must provide a written explanation and appeal process if access is denied. The bill establishes a 48-hour appeal process for residents and caregivers to challenge denials, with facilities required to prove violations during appeals. This law applies to Medicare skilled nursing facilities, Medicaid nursing facilities, intermediate care facilities, and certain inpatient rehabilitation facilities.