Maddy summaryS 2477 (Equitable Community Access to Pharmacist Services Act) expands Medicare Part B coverage to include specific pharmacist services previously only covered when provided by physicians. It directly affects Medicare beneficiaries and pharmacists by allowing coverage for services like evaluating patients for COVID-19, flu, or respiratory illnesses, and addressing public health emergencies - provided pharmacists are licensed or operating under federal emergency authority. The bill establishes payment at 80% of the lesser of actual charge or 85% of physician payment rates (100% during federal emergencies) and prohibits balance billing for these services. It also clarifies that existing Medicare enrollment pathways for pharmacists remain available. This bill modifies Medicare Part B coverage under the Social Security Act without restricting current pharmacy reimbursement options.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThe International Children with Disabilities Protection Act of 2023 establishes a U.S. government program to support organizations working to keep children with disabilities in family settings rather than residential institutions worldwide. The program provides grants to nongovernmental organizations with disability rights expertise, prioritizing those working in countries with large populations of children in residential care. It funds capacity-building efforts to develop disability leaders, provides training on successful family inclusion models, and creates online programs to share best practices globally. The bill requires annual briefings and triennial reports to Congress on the program's implementation, with funding authorized at $2 million for 2024 and $10 million annually through 2029. This legislation aims to advance policies that ensure children with disabilities grow up with their families and transition to independent living as adults.
Maddy summaryThe ARCA Act of 2023 creates new oversight structures for the Department of Veterans Affairs' major acquisition programs (those with estimated life-cycle costs of $250 million or more). It establishes an Acquisition Review Board to oversee program feasibility, compliance with cost and schedule baselines, and authorization for progression between acquisition phases. The bill also creates a Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation to provide independent cost analysis, conduct reviews of cost estimates, and produce annual reports on cost assessment activities. Additionally, it requires the VA to review its tracking of operating and support costs for major programs and submit reports to Congress on these matters. These changes aim to improve oversight and cost management for the VA's large acquisition projects.
Maddy summaryS 2430 amends the 1986 Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act to exclude certain air emissions from animal waste at farms from emergency notification requirements. This bill directly affects agricultural operations that handle animal waste, removing a requirement to report specific airborne emissions to emergency planners and the public. The key provision adds a new exception (B) to the notification rules, explicitly excluding "air emissions from animal waste (including decomposing waste) at a farm" as defined under related environmental law. This change simplifies reporting obligations for farms while maintaining other emergency planning requirements under the Act.
Maddy summaryThis bill extends the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) funding deadline from September 30, 2023, to September 30, 2024. It directly affects homeowners in flood-prone areas who rely on federal flood insurance and the federal government managing the NFIP. The bill amends two sections of the National Flood Insurance Act to push the expiration date forward by one year and ensures the extension applies retroactively if enacted after September 30, 2023. It does not change insurance rates, coverage terms, or program rules - only the timeline for its continued operation.
Maddy summaryThe ACRE Act of 2023 excludes interest income from certain loans from taxation for qualified lenders. It applies to loans secured by rural or agricultural real estate (including single-family homes in designated rural areas with a $750,000 principal limit) or aquaculture facilities. Qualified lenders include insured banks and certain entities owned by bank holding companies. The bill aims to reduce tax burdens on lenders providing rural credit, making such financing more financially viable. It takes effect for taxable years after enactment.
Maddy summarySRES 246 is a ceremonial Senate resolution commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), established in 1973. It honors DEA employees - including agents, forensic specialists, and task force officers - for their work combating drug trafficking, particularly efforts targeting fentanyl and other opioids linked to over 107,000 overdose deaths in 2021. The resolution specifically recognizes those who died or were injured in service and expresses the Senate’s gratitude for the agency’s role in protecting public health and safety through domestic and international enforcement.
Maddy summaryThis bill requires the Secretary of Defense to submit a report within 180 days of enactment detailing current military mental health care referral policies and analyzing the impact of removing primary care referral requirements for outpatient mental health services. The report must specifically examine effects on military readiness, service member uptake of mental health care, and suicide prevention. It also mandates recommendations to improve access to outpatient mental health services, encourage their use by service members, and maintain military readiness. The bill directly affects active-duty members of the Armed Forces by focusing on how referral policies impact their access to mental health support.
Maddy summaryThe Jimmy Deal Trafficking Survivors Assistance Act of 2023 requires the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to establish a Trafficking Survivor Point of Contact (TSPoC) at every airport where TSA conducts passenger screening. The TSPoC, a TSA employee trained on human trafficking and trauma-informed care, assists human trafficking survivors who lack identification for air travel by coordinating with eligible non-profit service providers. To qualify, service providers must submit detailed information 30 days in advance and confirm they are actively helping a survivor, after which the TSPoC helps navigate identity verification, accompanies survivors through security, and ensures a responsible party meets them at the destination airport.
Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the Department of Veterans Affairs to spend up to $3.7 billion on seven specific medical facility projects during fiscal year 2023. It directs the VA to construct new clinics and hospitals, renovate existing facilities, and make seismic upgrades at locations including El Paso, Texas ($700 million), Louisville, Kentucky ($1.013 billion), and Portland, Oregon ($523 million). The bill sets maximum funding limits for each project and provides the legal basis for the VA to proceed with these construction and renovation efforts. It directly affects veterans by enabling improvements to healthcare facilities they rely on, without changing VA policy or creating new benefits.