Maddy summaryS 2125 amends the Clean Air Act to change how the EPA establishes and reviews national air quality standards. It extends the review cycle for these standards from 5 to 10 years, sets specific deadlines (December 2030) for reviewing ozone and particulate matter standards, and requires the EPA to consider technological feasibility and economic impacts when setting standards. The bill also creates "Extreme Areas" for ozone nonattainment zones, exempting them from certain cleanup requirements, and mandates that EPA publish implementation guidance alongside new standards to help states and industries obtain permits for new facilities. Additionally, it requires the EPA to report on how foreign pollution affects U.S. air quality designations and the handling of interstate pollution petitions.
Sponsored bills
Maddy summaryS 2198, the Prescription Drug Supply Chain Pricing Transparency Act, directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to study how intermediaries in the prescription drug supply chain (like pharmacy benefit managers, insurers, wholesalers, and pharmacies) are paid for services related to drug prices. The GAO must examine fee structures based on drug prices (such as percentage-based fees), potential conflicts of interest, and trends in these practices across different market segments. The study will cover entities including PBMs, drug manufacturers, and rebate negotiators, and must be completed within two years of the bill's enactment. The GAO will then report its findings and recommendations to Congress, but the bill itself does not change current pricing rules or impose new requirements on the industry.
Ensuring Access to Lower-Cost Medicines for Seniors Act This bill requires prescription drug plans under the Medicare prescription drug benefit to include generic drugs and biosimilars on their formularies. Specifically, the bill requires plans that use formularies to include generic drugs and biosimilars on the formularies and without any requirements (e.g., prior authorization requirements) that are more restrictive as compared to those for brand-name drugs and biologics. Plans that use cost-sharing tiers must also have specific tiers for generic drugs and biosimilars, in accordance with certain limitations.
Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits the Administrator of General Services from considering the legality or availability of abortion when making decisions about federal buildings. Specifically, it amends federal law to ban the GSA from factoring abortion laws into building acquisitions, construction projects, or lease agreements for government properties. The key provision adds explicit language to multiple sections of Title 40, stating the Administrator "shall not consider the legality or availability of abortion" in these decisions. It directly affects how the federal government manages its physical infrastructure, ensuring building-related decisions are not influenced by state abortion laws. The bill does not change abortion policy but restricts one specific federal agency's decision-making criteria.
Maddy summaryThe Child Tax Credit for Pregnant Moms Act of 2023 allows parents to claim the child tax credit for unborn children in two specific scenarios: for the tax year immediately before a child's birth (if a Social Security number is provided on the return), or for the year of a miscarriage or stillbirth (if a government-issued certificate is submitted). It requires a new certificate of miscarriage or stillbirth, issued by the National Center for Health Statistics, which must include a health care provider's certification (excluding abortion centers) and a parent's sworn statement. The credit applies to the biological mother or her husband on a joint return and covers children born alive, stillborn, or miscarried after the bill's enactment. This change makes the credit accessible earlier in pregnancy and for pregnancy loss, without altering the standard credit amount for children born alive.
Maddy summaryThis bill adds multi-cancer early detection screening tests to Medicare Part B coverage, directly affecting Medicare beneficiaries. It creates a new coverage category for FDA-approved blood tests (like those analyzing cell-free DNA) that screen for multiple cancer types simultaneously, as defined in the bill. Medicare would cover these tests once every 12 months, and the bill clarifies that this change does not impact existing coverage for standard cancer screenings like mammograms or colonoscopies. The policy change ensures beneficiaries can access these new screening options without unnecessary delays after FDA approval.
Protect Patient Access to Pharmacies Act This bill establishes certain requirements with respect to payments to pharmacies by prescription drug plan (PDP) sponsors under the Medicare prescription drug benefit and Medicare Advantage. Specifically, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) must ensure that payments sufficiently cover a pharmacy's costs to acquire and dispense covered drugs so as to enable the pharmacy to participate as a network provider. The CMS must (1) use relevant data from pharmacies with respect to acquisition and dispensing costs for covered drugs, (2) establish payment parameters, and (3) establish an appeal process for pharmacies about payments. The CMS must also evaluate the performance measures used by PDP sponsors for pharmacy price concessions or other performance fees and develop standardized performance measures.
Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits U.S. foreign aid to countries designated as state sponsors of terrorism under the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. It amends Section 620A by removing existing exceptions that allowed aid despite terrorism designations, including language related to the Export-Import Bank. The key change eliminates prior exemptions, requiring a complete halt to all U.S. foreign assistance for these countries. This directly affects nations like Iran, Syria, and North Korea, which are currently listed as state sponsors of terrorism by the U.S. government. The policy change takes effect immediately upon enactment, with no funding permitted for these countries under the amended law.
Maddy summaryThe CONNECT for Health Act of 2023 expands Medicare telehealth coverage by removing geographic restrictions, allowing services to be provided from home and other locations, and expanding who can offer telehealth services. The bill repeals the six-month in-person visit requirement for telemental health and allows telehealth use in hospice care recertification. It also includes program integrity measures to address inappropriate billing patterns and requires posting of telehealth service data to improve transparency. This legislation directly affects Medicare beneficiaries, healthcare providers, and telehealth technology vendors by making telehealth more accessible, particularly for rural and underserved populations, those with mobility challenges, and individuals in areas with healthcare workforce shortages.
Patients Before Middlemen Act or the PBM Act This bill prohibits pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) under the Medicare prescription drug benefit or Medicare Advantage from receiving any income for their services other than bona fide service fees. Specifically, PBMs may not receive any income other than flat, bona fide service fees that are specified in their contracts with prescription drug plan (PDP) sponsors. Such fees may not be based on drug prices, discounts, rebates, or any other remuneration. PBMs must turn over any excess amounts they receive to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. PDP sponsors and PBMs must annually certify their compliance with these requirements.