Resident Physician Shortage Reduction Act of 2023 This bill increases the number of residency positions eligible for graduate medical education payments under Medicare for qualifying hospitals, including hospitals in rural areas and health professional shortage areas. Current law provides for an increase of up to 200 positions per fiscal year beginning in FY2023, with a total increase of 1,000 positions; each hospital may receive up to 25 additional positions. Current law also provides for an additional increase of up to 200 positions for FY2026, with at least 100 of these positions for psychiatry or related specialties; each hospital may receive up to 10 additional positions. The bill provides for an additional increase of 2,000 positions per fiscal year from FY2025-FY2031; during this period, each hospital may receive up to 75 additional positions in total under the bill and current law. The bill also requires the Government Accountability Office to report on strategies to increase the diversity of the health professional workforce, including with respect to representation from rural, low-income, and minority communities.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryThis bill authorizes the U.S. Treasury to mint three commemorative coins in 2026 to honor Golda Meir (Israel’s first female Prime Minister) and mark the 75th anniversary of U.S.-Israel relations. It specifies $5 gold, $1 silver, and half-dollar coins bearing her image and inscriptions like "Golda Meir, Israel 75, 2026," with surcharges of $35, $10, and $5 per coin respectively. All surcharge revenue will fund Kiryat Sanz Laniado Hospital in Israel, while the coins - minted only in 2026 - will be sold as collectibles with no net cost to the U.S. government.
Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a national technical assistance center to support the direct care workforce and family caregivers, with $1 billion authorized for grants in 2024. It funds projects that recruit, train, and advance direct care professionals who provide services to older adults and people with disabilities, requiring at least 30% of grant projects to focus on career advancement pathways. The bill mandates that grant recipients provide supportive services like transportation, childcare, and workplace accommodations, while requiring training on culturally competent care, abuse prevention, and person-centered planning. It also requires that grant funds supplement, not replace, existing funding for these purposes and includes reporting requirements to track outcomes. The bill directly affects direct care workers, family caregivers, older adults, and people with disabilities who rely on home and community-based services.
Maddy summaryThis bill strengthens penalties for individuals or organizations charging veterans unauthorized fees when assisting with VA benefit claims. It directly affects veterans who might be targeted by unscrupulous representatives and the representatives themselves who attempt to charge such fees. The key provision adds a new subsection (b) to Section 5905, making it illegal to solicit, charge, or receive any fee for preparing or submitting VA claims - except as allowed under specific other sections. Violations can result in fines, up to one year in prison, or both.
Maddy summaryThis bill amends the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program to add "assisted reproductive treatment benefits" to covered services. It directly affects federal employees and their families who use reproductive technologies like IVF, egg/sperm preservation, or artificial insemination, making these treatments eligible for coverage under their FEHB health plans. The bill defines "assisted reproductive treatment" to include specific procedures (e.g., IVF, sperm/egg preservation, intrauterine insemination) and grants the Office of Personnel Management Director authority to add additional covered treatments. The changes would take effect one year after the bill is enacted. This is a policy change expanding existing health benefits, not a procedural or commemorative measure.
Maddy summaryThis bill directs the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum to study how Holocaust education is implemented in all 50 states' public K-12 schools. The study will examine curriculum requirements, teacher training, teaching materials, assessment methods, and challenges in teaching about the Holocaust and antisemitism. The Museum must submit a report to Congress within 3 years of the bill's enactment detailing findings on educational practices and resource needs. This affects every state education system and public school district nationwide by mandating a comprehensive review of current Holocaust education approaches.
Maddy summaryThe SMART Prices Act changes how Medicare negotiates drug prices. It repeals a rule blocking Medicare from negotiating with drugmakers and accelerates the process, requiring negotiations for 40 drugs starting in 2027 (up from 10 annually). It shortens the time drugs must be single-source to qualify for negotiation (from 7 to 3 years) and adjusts price negotiation formulas, setting new caps like 76% of the drug's average price for some medications. This directly affects Medicare beneficiaries (by lowering their out-of-pocket costs) and pharmaceutical companies (by requiring price negotiations for more drugs faster).
Maddy summaryS 1231 (SAD Act) prohibits crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) from making deceptive claims about providing abortion services, contraception, or employing licensed medical staff. It directly affects CPCs that falsely represent themselves as reproductive health providers, which the bill states often target underserved communities. The law authorizes the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to enforce this prohibition under existing consumer protection laws, imposing civil penalties of up to $100,000 or 50% of a CPC's revenue. The FTC must also submit biennial reports to Congress on enforcement actions. The bill aims to ensure patients receive accurate information about reproductive health services.
Maddy summaryThe SMART Prices Act (S 1246) repeals a provision blocking states from negotiating Medicare drug prices and accelerates the Medicare Drug Price Negotiation Program. It increases the annual number of drugs eligible for negotiation from 10 to 40 starting in 2027, shortens the timeframes for qualifying drugs from 7 to 3 years, and adjusts price ceiling percentages (e.g., raising the maximum fair price cap for some drugs from 75% to 76%). These changes directly affect Medicare beneficiaries by potentially lowering drug costs and pharmaceutical companies by altering negotiation timelines and pricing rules. The bill aims to reduce Medicare drug spending through faster, more aggressive price negotiations.
Maddy summaryThe Latonya Reeves Freedom Act of 2023 establishes a federally protected right for individuals with disabilities who require long-term services and supports (LTSS) to live in community-based settings rather than institutions. The bill defines specific requirements for "community-based" settings, including housing options that allow individuals to live in their own homes or shared residences with privacy rights, choice, and control over their services. It requires states to develop transition plans with measurable goals to move people from institutional settings to community-based supports within 12 years, along with annual reporting on progress. The Department of Justice and Department of Health and Human Services will enforce the law through investigations, compliance reviews, and the ability to seek injunctive relief for violations.