West Virginia Congressional Bills

in committee · West Virginia · House Dec 17, 2024

HR 3882: Leveling the Playing Field 2.0 Act

The Leveling the Playing Field 2.0 Act (HR 3882) updates U.S. trade law to better address international trade practices that disadvantage American businesses. It establishes special rules for handling multiple investigations of the same merchandise (called "successive investigations"), requiring the Commerce Department to consider previous injury determinations when making new findings. The bill also creates mechanisms to address market distortions from foreign government subsidies, including currency undervaluation, and strengthens procedures to prevent duty evasion through certification requirements for importers. These changes primarily affect foreign exporters of goods subject to U.S. antidumping and countervailing duty investigations, as well as U.S. importers of those goods.

Terri A. Sewell (D) · 78 co-sponsors

in committee · West Virginia · House Dec 17, 2024

HR 3739: FAIR TARIFF Act of 2023

HR 3739, the FAIR TARIFF Act of 2023, requires U.S. Customs to refund overpaid duties for specific imports from European Union countries during two defined periods: October 18-December 17, 2019, and January 12-February 10, 2022. It targets products classified under certain Harmonized Tariff Schedule codes (e.g., 9903.89.10-9903.89.49 for 2019, 9903.89.57-9903.89.59 for 2022) that were incorrectly taxed due to tariff misclassification. Importers must apply for refunds within one year of the law’s enactment, with refunds processed within 180 days of application. The bill also mandates a 60-day advance notice in the Federal Register before implementing new tariff increases under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974.

in committee · West Virginia · House Dec 17, 2024

HR 3730: Rural Health Clinic Burden Reduction Act

This bill simplifies regulations for rural health clinics (RHCs) by reducing administrative burdens. It allows RHCs to contract with physician assistants and nurse practitioners (instead of requiring direct employment), updates the definition of "rural" to exclude areas with 50,000+ residents, and removes outdated lab service requirements by requiring only "prompt access" to clinical labs. These changes directly affect RHCs, enabling them to more flexibly staff and operate while complying with state practice laws. The amendments take effect January 1, 2024, applying to services provided on or after that date.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

Adrian Smith (R) · 29 co-sponsors

in committee · West Virginia · House Dec 17, 2024

HR 3635: Save Rural Hospitals Act of 2023

This bill establishes a minimum payment floor for Medicare reimbursements to rural hospitals not located in frontier states. It sets a 0.85 minimum for the area wage index used in hospital inpatient payments (starting October 2023) and a similar floor for outpatient department payments (starting January 2024). This prevents Medicare payments from dropping below 85% of the standard wage index for eligible rural hospitals. The bill includes budget neutrality requirements to ensure overall Medicare payments don't increase, while exempting hospitals already receiving payments above the floor.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

in committee · West Virginia · House Dec 17, 2024

HR 3611: Kazakhstan Permanent Normal Trade Relations Act of 2023

HR 3611, the Kazakhstan Permanent Normal Trade Relations Act of 2023, makes Kazakhstan's existing "normal trade relations" (NTR) status permanent by removing the need for annual U.S. presidential reviews under the Trade Act of 1974. This bill directly affects U.S. trade policy with Kazakhstan, ending the requirement for the President to annually determine whether Kazakhstan meets emigration freedom standards (which it has satisfied since 1997). The key provision allows the President to formally extend permanent NTR treatment to Kazakhstan's products, eliminating the current annual review process. Once enacted, Kazakhstan would automatically receive the same most-favored-nation tariff rates as other NTR countries, streamlining trade without further congressional action.

Jimmy Panetta (D) · 46 co-sponsors

in committee · West Virginia · House Dec 17, 2024

HR 3440: Protecting Rural Telehealth Access Act

This bill removes geographic restrictions on Medicare telehealth services, allowing rural beneficiaries to receive care at home or remotely starting January 1, 2025. It specifically expands access for critical access hospitals and rural health clinics by standardizing payments for telehealth services and permitting audio-only visits for certain providers like doctors and clinics with established patient relationships. The bill also extends Medicare flexibilities for Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and rural health clinics beyond 2024. These changes aim to improve healthcare access in underserved rural communities by removing prior barriers to telehealth.

Topics ✓ Healthcare ✓ Technology

in committee · West Virginia · House Dec 17, 2024

HR 3329: End Taxpayer Funding of Gender Experimentation Act of 2023

This bill prohibits federal funding for gender transition procedures - including hormone therapy, puberty blockers, and surgeries like genital reassignment - across all federal programs and health plans. It exempts procedures for medical conditions (such as disorders of sex development) and treatment of complications arising from such procedures. The bill also blocks Affordable Care Act premium tax credits and cost-sharing reductions for health plans covering these services, though individuals may purchase separate non-federal-funded coverage. State and private insurers can still offer such coverage using their own funds, but federal subsidies cannot be applied to it.

Topics ✗ Budget & Taxes ✗ Healthcare ✗ Veterans

Doug LaMalfa (R) · 49 co-sponsors

in committee · West Virginia · House Dec 17, 2024

HR 3206: Senior Citizens Tax Elimination Act

This bill repeals the tax on Social Security benefits for seniors, making those benefits fully tax-free. It directly affects seniors who receive Social Security benefits and are currently subject to income tax on a portion of those payments. The key provision removes Section 86 of the tax code that previously included benefits in gross income, while a separate funding mechanism appropriates money to Social Security trust funds to replace the lost revenue. The bill ensures Social Security trust funds remain fully funded without requiring new tax increases.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes

Thomas Massie (R) · 36 co-sponsors

in committee · West Virginia · House Dec 17, 2024

HR 3086: Find It Early Act

HR 3086, the "Find It Early Act," requires health insurance plans to cover breast cancer screenings with no cost-sharing for certain individuals at higher risk of breast cancer. The bill affects people with increased risk (based on medical criteria or dense breast tissue) or those needing screening due to factors like age, race, ethnicity, or family history. Key provisions mandate coverage for 2D/3D mammograms, ultrasounds, MRI, and other technologies without frequency limits for these groups. This applies to group health plans, Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, and VA healthcare systems starting January 1, 2024. The law aims to improve early detection by removing financial barriers to necessary screenings.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

Rosa L. DeLauro (D) · 73 co-sponsors

in committee · West Virginia · House Dec 17, 2024

HR 3029: Primary Care Enhancement Act of 2023

This bill changes tax rules to treat direct primary care (DPC) membership fees as deductible medical expenses. It defines DPC as a fixed monthly fee (capped at $150 per person, $300 for families) for primary care services only, excluding procedures requiring anesthesia, prescription drugs (except vaccines), or lab tests. The law ensures these fees can be claimed on tax returns like other medical costs, while clarifying DPC arrangements aren’t considered health insurance plans. It applies to fees paid for DPC services provided through employment or directly to patients, effective for 2024 tax years.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

Lloyd Smucker (R) · 27 co-sponsors

in committee · West Virginia · House Dec 17, 2024

HR 2986: HEALTH Act

This bill creates a new tax deduction for healthcare providers who offer free medical care to eligible patients. It allows direct primary care physicians (those charging a subscription fee) to deduct the published fees for free care provided, plus half the subscription fee per visit. Other providers can deduct the Medicare-reimbursed value of free care given to patients enrolled in Medicaid or children's health programs. The deduction is limited to the provider's total income from medical services that year. It directly affects healthcare providers who offer free care to Medicaid/Medicare-eligible patients without expecting payment.

Topics ✓ Budget & Taxes ✓ Healthcare

in committee · West Virginia · House Dec 17, 2024

HR 2880: Protecting Patients Against PBM Abuses Act

This bill regulates pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) working with Medicare Part D prescription drug plans. It prohibits PBMs from earning income based on drug prices or rebates (requiring flat fees instead), mandates equal reimbursement for all network pharmacies, and requires PBMs to report how much of drug rebates they pass through to Medicare plans. The law also mandates annual compliance certifications and requires the government to publish aggregated transparency data (without revealing specific plan details) starting in 2024. These changes directly affect Medicare Part D plans and the seniors who rely on them for prescription drug coverage.

Topics ✓ Healthcare

West Virginia Congressional Bills

Bill results