Sen. Jon Tester

This resolution expresses support for the rights, freedoms, and equal treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals. The resolution r ecognizes that LGBTQ rights are human rights and protected by the laws of the United States and international treaties. Additionally, the resolution encourages the celebration of LGBTQ Pride Month in June.

Women's Health Protection Act of 2021 This bill prohibits governmental restrictions on the provision of, and access to, abortion services. Specifically, governments may not limit a provider's ability to prescribe certain drugs, offer abortion services via telemedicine, or immediately provide abortion services when the provider determines a delay risks the patient's health. Furthermore, governments may not require a provider to perform unnecessary medical procedures, provide medically inaccurate information, comply with credentialing or other conditions that do not apply to providers whose services are medically comparable to abortions, or carry out all services connected to an abortion. In addition, governments may not (1) require patients to make medically unnecessary in-person visits before receiving abortion services or disclose their reasons for obtaining such services, or (2) prohibit abortion services before fetal viability or after fetal viability when a provider determines the pregnancy risks the patient's life or health. The bill also prohibits other governmental measures that are similar to the bill's specified restrictions or that otherwise single out and impede access to abortion services, unless a government demonstrates that the measure significantly advances the safety of abortion services or health of patients and cannot be achieved through less restrictive means. The Department of Justice, individuals, or providers may bring a lawsuit to enforce this bill, and states are not immune from suits for violations. The bill applies to restrictions imposed both prior and subsequent to the bill's enactment.

Health Care Fairness for Military Families Act of 2021 This bill modifies the extension of dependent coverage under TRICARE by allowing a dependent under the age of 26 to be covered without an additional premium. Additionally, the bill authorizes such coverage of dependents without a premium regardless of whether they are eligible to enroll in an employer sponsored plan.

This resolution offers the condolences of the Senate regarding the death of Senator John William Warner and expresses deep appreciation for his outstanding and important service to his country.

This bill updates the address for the Department of Veterans Affairs community-based outpatient clinic (known as the David J. Thatcher VA Clinic) in Missoula, Montana.

Increasing Access to Osteoporosis Testing for Medicare Beneficiaries Act of 2021 This bill specifies that certain Medicare payment rules applicable to imaging services shall apply to dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry services used in bone mass scans beginning in 2022. The bill also establishes national minimum payment amounts for such services.

Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act of 2021 This bill provides for Medicare coverage and payment for multi-cancer early detection screening tests that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration and that are used to screen for cancer across many cancer types. The Government Accountability Office must report on the resulting utilization and effectiveness of such tests.

This bill authorizes the Department of the Interior to take land into trust for all federally recognized Indian tribes. Specifically, the bill applies the Indian Reorganization Act to all federally recognized Indian tribes, regardless of when a tribe became recognized. The amendments made by this bill are retroactively effective as if included in the Indian Reorganization Act. This effectively overrules the Supreme Court's decision in Carcieri v. Salazar, which held that Interior could not take land into trust for a specified tribe because that tribe had not been under federal jurisdiction when the Indian Reorganization Act was enacted in 1934.

Pharmacy DIR Reform To Reduce Senior Drug Costs Act This bill establishes certain requirements for prescription drug plans and the prices of covered drugs under the Medicare prescription drug benefit. Specifically, the bill requires price concessions, payments, and fees that are negotiated with a pharmacy to be included in a drug's negotiated price, excluding incentive payments, and for this price to be provided at the point of sale. Additionally, prescription drug plans must report price concessions or incentive payments that are made after payment for covered drugs at the point of sale, including by contracted intermediaries, to the pharmacy at least annually. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services must establish standardized pharmacy performance measures with respect to incentive payments and price concessions; such measures must account for all pharmacy types, including specialty pharmacies, and focus on patient health outcomes and other targeted areas.

Rural Physician Workforce Production Act of 2021 This bill allows certain hospitals to receive additional payment under Medicare for full-time equivalent residents who receive training in rural areas. Specifically, hospitals, critical access hospitals, sole community hospitals, and rural emergency hospitals may elect to receive payment for time spent by a resident in a rural training location if the resident trains for at least eight weeks in the location and the hospital pays the salary and benefits of the resident during this time. Additionally, hospitals may receive payment for all time spent by residents in a residency program in which 50% of all training is in rural locations, regardless of where the training occurs or specialty. Payments are based on the difference between the total amount of eligible payments (as determined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) and the amount of graduate medical education payments received (if applicable).