Physicians & Outpatient Care

Physician practices, clinics, community health centers, labs, and home health. Medicare and Medicaid payment, coverage rules, telehealth terms, and licensure compacts land on the visit.

Measures whose provisions reach this industry directly, verified against the bill text. Measures written for this industry lead the list, then measures that plainly change how it operates; within each, the likeliest to become law come first. Measures that have become law or failed are removed. Measures written to all of Health Care are included and marked Sector-wide.

Measures that reach Physicians & Outpatient Care directly

S 5180 US Senate Last action
July 30, 2026 MixedLong shot

Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026

John Boozman (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: This bill increases the Medicare budget neutrality threshold to $57.64 million in 2028 and adjusts it annually thereafter. It also requires the government to correct physician payment rates based on actual versus estimated service usage and to update practice expense cost data every five years. This bill directly changes Medicare payments for physician practices and clinics by raising the budget neutrality threshold to $57.64 million, capping conversion factor swings at 2.5 percent, correcting payment errors, and updating practice expense cost data every five years.
Where it stands: S5180 was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance on July 30, 2026, and no upcoming meetings are scheduled in the current calendar data.

HR 9390 US House Last action
July 21, 2026 BurdenLong shot

Prices on the Wall Act of 2026

Mariannette Miller-Meeks (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: This proposal would require hospitals, critical access hospitals, rural emergency hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, laboratories, and providers or suppliers of imaging services that receive Medicare payment to conspicuously post, in a publicly accessible location other than the emergency department, the prices for 70 federally specified shoppable services starting January 1, 2028. Entities would post their discounted cash price, or, if none exists, either the median cash price they charged self-pay patients over the prior three years (for hospitals and surgical centers) or their undiscounted gross charge (for laboratories and imaging providers). This bill requires ambulatory surgical centers, laboratories, and imaging providers that accept Medicare to conspicuously post cash prices for 70 shoppable services starting in 2028, imposing new compliance costs on outpatient care businesses.
Where it stands: On July 21, 2026 the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, at a markup, ordered HR9390 reported (amended) by a vote of 24 to 21, following referral on June 23, 2026 and markups on June 25, 2026 and July 20, 2026; that markup vote is the report-out event, and no written report or calendar placement appears on the record yet.

HR 10806 US House Last action
October 13, 2026 MixedLong shot

Medicare Home Health Payment Integrity and Protection Act of 2026

Claudia Tenney (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would tighten Medicare oversight of home health agencies by requiring fingerprinting and proof of liability insurance for agencies deemed at extreme risk of fraud, monthly standard surveys for 36 months after new enrollment, ownership change, or billing reactivation, and higher payment penalties starting in 2029 for agencies that fail to submit quality data. It would also reset Medicare's home health payment rates for 2027 and later years from a 2020 baseline while excluding fraudulent or unreliable claims from the calculations, suspend behavioral adjustment factors, and appropriate $550 million for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 for program integrity, federal fraud enforcement, and state survey activities. This bill directly regulates home health agencies by adding fingerprinting, liability insurance, and monthly surveys for new or reactivated agencies, while protecting honest providers' Medicare payments and granting extra time for good-faith quality data submissions.
Where it stands: On October 13, 2026, the bill was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means and in addition to the Committees on Energy and Commerce and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker. No hearing or markup is scheduled in our calendar data, and this multiple referral makes all three chairs gatekeepers, though committee action is not the only possible route.

HR 8163 US House Last action
May 21, 2026 BenefitLong shot

Provider Reimbursement Stability Act of 2026

Gregory F. Murphy (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would raise the Medicare budget neutrality threshold for physician fee schedule updates from $20 million to $57.64 million in 2028, with the new threshold carried forward each year and increased every fifth year beginning in 2033 by the cumulative increase in the Medicare Economic Index, and it would bar the government beginning in 2028 from applying a budget adjustment that swings the physician payment conversion factor more than 2.5 percent from the prior year. It would also require the government to correct the conversion factor when estimates of how much a newly separately paid service is used turn out to differ from actual use, and to refresh the prices for staff wages, medical supplies, and equipment used to calculate practice expense payments at least every five years. This bill raises the Medicare budget neutrality threshold, caps conversion factor swings at 2.5 percent, reconciles utilization errors for newly paid services, and updates practice expense prices every five years, directly changing Medicare payments for physician offices and clinics.
Where it stands: The House referred HR8163 to the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Ways and Means on March 30, 2026, and the Committee on Ways and Means ordered the bill reported in the nature of a substitute by a 44-0 yea-and-nay vote at its May 21, 2026 markup. The Committee on Energy and Commerce held a hearing on the bill on September 15, 2026, but no written report has been filed and the bill has not been placed on a calendar.

HR 8875 US House Last action
May 21, 2026 BenefitLong shot

Improving Home Dialysis Act of 2026

Carol D. Miller (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would have Medicare, starting January 1, 2028, cover and pay extra add-on amounts for two new support services for patients who dialyze at home: staff-assisted respite care, when a nurse or trained technician helps a patient who is temporarily unable to dialyze alone, capped at 20 sessions a year, and up to 4 mental health sessions in the patient's first 60 days of home dialysis. Respite care would be paid at the full amount of the 2025 home dialysis training add-on in rural areas (75 percent of it elsewhere), mental health services at half that amount in rural areas (25 percent elsewhere), and neither payment would be offset by cuts elsewhere in the program. This bill creates new Medicare payments starting January 1, 2028 for dialysis centers, home health providers, and mental health practitioners who furnish staff-assisted home dialysis respite care and renal mental health services to patients dialyzing at home, with higher rates in rural areas.
Where it stands: HR8875, the Improving Home Dialysis Act of 2026, was referred on May 19, 2026 to the House Committees on Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means, and at a Ways and Means markup on May 21, 2026 the committee voted 28 to 13 to order the bill reported in the nature of a substitute. The record shows no written report filed and no calendar placement, Energy and Commerce has taken no recorded action, and the calendar data also records a markup by the House Committee on Education and Workforce on July 21, 2026.

HR 10788 US House Last action
October 9, 2026 BurdenLong shot

Lower Premiums, Faster Payments Act

Frank Pallone, Jr. (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: This bill would end the independent dispute resolution process used to settle out-of-network payment disputes for services furnished on or after January 1, 2028, including for air ambulance services, and instead automatically pay those out-of-network claims at the qualifying payment amount. It would redefine the qualifying payment amount for 2028 and later as the median of a plan's contracted rates as of January 31, 2019, adjusted upward each year by inflation, and would direct federal agencies to update the payment methodology within 180 days, bar courts from reviewing that methodology, require annual audits of claims data with findings made public starting in 2028, and set notice deadlines of 30 days after a provider sends a bill for services paid at the qualifying payment amount. This bill ends dispute resolution for out-of-network bills, so physician practices, clinics, and outpatient providers would automatically be paid the plan's median contracted rate inflated from 2019 instead of negotiating higher payments.
Where it stands: HR10788 was referred on October 9, 2026 to the House Committees on Energy and Commerce, Education and Workforce, and Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker. No hearing or markup has been noticed, and no meetings are scheduled in our calendar data.

HR 10778 US House Last action
October 9, 2026 BenefitLong shot

To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to establish a credit to incentivize the use of certain low-emission anesthetic gases by health care facilities, and for other purposes.

Valerie P. Foushee (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would create a new federal tax credit for hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, and other designated health care facilities that buy the low-emission anesthetic gases isoflurane or sevoflurane, with the credit ranging from 15 to 50 percent of those purchases depending on how much the facility cuts its use of the higher-emission gases desflurane and nitrous oxide per bed compared with the prior year. It would also cover up to $1,500 in retrofit costs per mobile anesthetic machine to make it compatible with the low-emission gases, apply to amounts paid after December 31, 2026, allow the credit to be paid as a direct refund, and end it for amounts paid after December 31, 2029. This bill gives physician-owned surgical centers and clinics that perform anesthesia a federal tax credit of 15 to 50 percent on purchases of low-emission anesthetic gases isoflurane and sevoflurane, plus up to $1,500 per machine for retrofitting, if they cut use of desflurane and nitrous oxide.
Where it stands: HR10778 was referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means on October 9, 2026 and sits at the start of the committee stage, with no hearing or markup yet noticed and nothing scheduled in our calendar data.

HR 8883 US House Last action
May 21, 2026 BurdenLong shot

Protecting Seniors and Stopping Fraudsters Act

Beth Van Duyne (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would tighten Medicare oversight of hospice programs and home health agencies by requiring revalidation of hospice enrollment in states flagged for fraud, more frequent surveys of newly enrolled or recently sold providers, fingerprinting and proof of comprehensive liability insurance for applicants deemed at extreme risk of fraud, and a steeper Medicare payment cut for providers that fail to submit required quality data, rising to 15 percentage points starting in 2029 from 4 percentage points for hospices and 2 for home health agencies. It would also raise accreditation organizations' surveyor and training standards, extend the Medicare hospice cap amount adjustment through 2036, send patients written notice of their hospice election rights within 15 days funded by a $6 million annual transfer, require annual reports to Congress on program integrity activities, and fund the new survey work with a $190 million transfer from the Medicare Hospital Insurance Trust Fund for fiscal year 2026. This bill directly hits home health agencies and hospice programs by requiring annual surveys, fingerprinting and liability insurance screening for new or recently sold providers, and a Medicare payment cut of up to 15 percentage points starting in 2029 for those that skip quality data submissions.
Where it stands: On May 19, 2026 the bill was referred to the House Committees on Ways and Means and on Energy and Commerce, and on May 21, 2026 the Ways and Means Committee, meeting in markup, ordered the bill reported in the nature of a substitute by a vote of 27 to 16. No written report has been filed and no calendar placement appears on the record, and Energy and Commerce has taken no recorded action on its referral.

S 3315 US Senate Last action
October 5, 2026 MixedFair chance of law

Health Care Cybersecurity and Resiliency Act of 2026

Sector-wide

Bill Cassidy (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would have the Health and Human Services Secretary and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency coordinate to improve cybersecurity across the health care and public health sectors, including sharing threat information, providing technical assistance, and issuing cybersecurity guidance for rural health entities. It would also require the Secretary to update federal health data security regulations so that covered entities and business associates must adopt minimum cybersecurity practices such as multifactor authentication, encryption of protected health information, and penetration testing, with those requirements taking effect 36 months after enactment, while creating a grant program of up to 3 years for federally qualified health centers, Indian Health Service facilities, nonprofit hospitals, rural health clinics, and partnering nonprofits to fund cybersecurity staffing, risk assessments, cloud migration, and incident response planning.
Where it stands: The bill passed the Senate by unanimous consent, with an amendment, on September 30, 2026 and was messaged to the House, where it has been held at the desk since October 5, 2026. The Senate is done with it, and the House now decides how or whether to act.

HR 10810 US House Last action
October 15, 2026 BenefitLong shot

National Patient Safety Board Act of 2026

Sector-wide

Nanette Diaz Barragán (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would create an independent National Patient Safety Board within the Department of Health and Human Services to monitor, study, and recommend ways to prevent patient safety events, supported by a public-private Health Care Safety Team, a public Patient Safety Reporting System, an opt-in data access portal for de-identified patient data, and study division investigations with required responses from the HHS and Veterans Affairs secretaries. It would bar Board reports from being used as evidence of liability in civil lawsuits and prohibit HHS from using Board work product to discipline health care providers, while allowing the reports to inform standards of care and requiring reports to be made public within a year of the underlying study.
Where it stands: On October 15, 2026 the bill was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce and in addition to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs, with the period for each referral to be determined by the Speaker. No hearing or markup has been noticed in either committee, and the bill sits at the earliest stage of the committee process.

HR 5347 US House Last action
July 13, 2026 BenefitLong shot

Health Care Efficiency Through Flexibility Act

Sector-wide

Vern Buchanan (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: This bill requires the government to offer specific electronic and clinical data collection methods for Medicare Accountable Care Organizations from 2025 to 2029 and allows organizations to exclude data from participants who cannot use the chosen method. It also establishes a pilot program from 2028 to 2032 where selected organizations report only two specified measures using digital formats while exempting them from reporting other required quality metrics.
Where it stands: The House passed the bill under suspension of the rules on June 29, 2026, and the Senate received it on July 13, 2026, referring it to the Committee on Finance.

S 5250 US Senate Last action
August 5, 2026 MixedLong shot

Medicare Home Health Payment Integrity and Protection Act of 2026

Susan M. Collins (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: This proposal would reset the Medicare home health payment rate to $2,382.87 for 2027 and suspend specific behavioral adjustment penalties while increasing fraud screening and survey frequencies for home health agencies. It also appropriates $550 million over five years for program integrity, enforcement, and state survey activities. This bill directly affects Medicare-certified home health agencies by resetting their payment rate to $2,382.87 for 2027, suspending behavioral payment adjustments, screening suspect claims, while imposing fingerprinting, liability insurance, annual surveys, and a 15 percent payment cut for missed quality data.
Where it stands: The bill was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance on August 5, 2026. No upcoming meetings are scheduled.

HR 8209 US House Last action
July 2, 2026 BenefitLong shot

To amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the school-based health centers grant program.

Paul Tonko (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: This bill reauthorizes the school-based health centers grant program by specifying annual funding of $55 million for fiscal years 2027 through 2031. It replaces the previous authorization of sums as may be necessary with this fixed annual appropriation. This bill guarantees $55 million in annual grant funding through fiscal 2031 for school-based health centers, outpatient care providers that would gain stable federal support for operations and services.
Where it stands: The House Committee on Energy and Commerce reported the measure on July 2, 2026, and it was placed on the Union Calendar, Calendar No. 631, on the same date. This placement establishes eligibility for floor consideration but does not schedule the bill for action.

HR 10727 US House Last action
October 5, 2026 BenefitLong shot

Access to Community Care Act of 2026

Sharice Davids (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services, when reviewing expanded service applications under the community health center grant program of the Public Health Service Act, to give special consideration to eligible health centers seeking to expand services in areas that saw a significant increase in new patients because a federally qualified health center within or near the area closed during the preceding four years. It also extends this priority to areas affected by a declared public health emergency or a presidentially declared major disaster or emergency during the preceding one-year period. This bill gives community health centers applying for federal expansion grants priority consideration if a nearby federally qualified health center closed in the past four years or the area faced a declared emergency or disaster in the past year.
Where it stands: HR 10727 was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on October 5, 2026 and sits at the start of the committee stage. No hearing or markup has been noticed, so the bill is eligible for committee consideration but nothing has been scheduled.

HR 10729 US House Last action
October 5, 2026 MixedLong shot

Long-Term Rural Health Investment Act of 2026

Sector-wide

Sharice Davids (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would roll back parts of the 2025 budget law's Medicaid changes by letting state directed payments run at up to 200 percent of Medicare rates (or average commercial rates where Medicare rates are not published) for rating periods starting in 2030, phasing down previously approved payments by 10 percent a year rather than cutting them off, and reverting to the older payment rules until then. It would also require states to submit detailed data on these payments through the Medicaid reporting system starting in 2027, and would repeal the 2025 law's restrictions on state provider taxes while rescinding money appropriated under one of those provisions.
Where it stands: HR10729 was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on October 5, 2026, and no further action is recorded. The bill is at the committee stage, where a hearing or a markup would be noticed at the discretion of the committee chair.

HR 10666 US House Last action
October 1, 2026 BenefitLong shot

FCHIP Extension Act

Julie Fedorchak (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would extend the Frontier Community Health Integration Project, a Medicare demonstration in frontier areas, by lengthening its authorized duration from a 5-year period to a 10-year period, with the change taking effect on December 31, 2026. This would let the demonstration, which tests new models of care for rural Medicare beneficiaries, continue operating roughly twice as long as originally allowed. This bill extends the Frontier Community Health Integration Project Medicare demonstration from 5 to 10 years, letting home health agencies in frontier areas keep participating in its funded rural care models through the longer window.
Where it stands: The FCHIP Extension Act was referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means on October 1, 2026; no hearing or markup has been noticed, and no further action appears in the calendar data.

HR 10680 US House Last action
October 1, 2026 BenefitLong shot

Food Access in Community Health Centers Act of 2026

George Latimer (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to create a competitive grant program funding partnerships between community health centers and nonprofit food providers to run food distribution spaces or vehicles at health centers, covering food procurement, transportation, storage, and distribution costs, with awards capped at $500,000 each. It would also require the Secretary to publish an annual report evaluating the program's effectiveness and its impact on food insecurity among health center patients. This bill offers community health centers federal grants of up to $500,000 each to partner with nonprofit food providers and host on-site food distribution, giving these outpatient clinics new funded services and space requirements for their patients.
Where it stands: HR10680 was referred to the House Committee on Agriculture on October 1, 2026 and sits at the start of the committee stage, with no hearing or markup on the calendar. Whether the committee acts is at the chair's discretion, and the ordinary outcome at this stage is quiet death before the Congress ends.

HR 10706 US House Last action
October 1, 2026 BenefitLong shot

Strengthening Innovation in Medicare and Medicaid Act

Sector-wide

Adrian Smith (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would restrict how the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation tests and expands payment and service delivery models by capping Phase I tests at 5 years and at the lesser of 10 percent of applicable individuals or 500,000 beneficiaries, limiting the agency to at most 6 new Phase I models per year and no more than 5 concurrent mandatory-participation models starting in fiscal year 2027. It would also require a plan within 60 days for providers to get waivers from model requirements that cause undue economic hardship or reduce access to care for vulnerable populations, real-time monitoring and mitigation of adverse impacts on beneficiaries, a public notice and comment process with at least a 45-day comment period before models are set up, tested, or expanded, disclosure to participating providers and suppliers of the actuarial assumptions and data behind certification decisions, an expedited congressional disapproval process under which a proposed model testing, expansion, or modification goes forward only if Congress does not pass a joint resolution against it within 45 days, partially restored judicial review of model decisions, annual instead of biennial reporting to Congress starting in 2027, repeal of the current prohibition on providers participating in certain overlapping Medicare value-based programs, and reports from the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the Comptroller General on alternative payment model overlap and the agency's workforce efforts.
Where it stands: H.R. 10706 was referred on October 1, 2026 to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and in addition to the House Committees on Ways and Means and Rules, for a period to be determined by the Speaker. It sits at the start of the committee stage, with no hearing or markup noticed in the calendar data for any of the three referred committees, and each chair is a gatekeeper for the bill.

S 5672 US Senate Last action
September 30, 2026 MixedLong shot

Patients First Act of 2026

Roger Marshall (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would raise and stabilize Medicare payments to doctors starting in 2027 by tying annual fee schedule updates to a medical cost index minus one percentage point, limiting year-to-year budget-neutrality swings to 2.5 percent, raising the budget-neutrality threshold from $20,000,000 to $57,640,000 for 2028 with later increases, and paying qualifying primary care practitioners in physician-led practices a fixed monthly amount per attributed patient from 2027 through 2031 instead of separate fees for primary care visits. It would also rebrand and rework the MIPS quality program with a new care efficiency category and a Quality Reform Task Force whose recommendations the Secretary must generally follow, lower the MIPS payment-adjustment cap to 2 percent for 2027 through 2031, give clinical data registries cost-based access to Medicare claims data, and create new exemptions from imaging decision-support requirements for small and rural practices and services such as mammograms. This bill changes Medicare payments for physician practices and clinics: it ties updates to cost inflation, caps yearly cuts, offers qualifying primary care practices monthly per-patient payments, softens MIPS penalties, and adds imaging ordering and claim reporting duties.
Where it stands: S5672, the Patients First Act of 2026, was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance on September 30, 2026. It is now at the committee stage, the first and most common choke point in the Senate, where the committee chair schedules any next step and most bills go no further.

S 5627 US Senate Last action
September 30, 2026 BenefitLong shot

John Lewis Equality in Medicare and Medicaid Treatment Act of 2026

Sector-wide

Cory A. Booker (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would require the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to weigh health equity and health disparities when selecting and evaluating its payment and service delivery models, and to consult with federal minority health, rural health, and women's health offices before choosing models. It would also direct the Center to begin testing a new social determinants of health payment model by the end of 2027, covering behavioral health services, capacity building in underserved areas, and care for Medicaid-eligible pregnant and postpartum women.
Where it stands: S5627 was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance on September 30, 2026. It now sits at the committee stage, which is where most Senate bills stall, and no committee meeting is scheduled in our calendar data.

HR 10615 US House Last action
September 28, 2026 BurdenLong shot

Medicaid Integrity Improvement Act

Sector-wide

Troy Balderson (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would require each state's Medicaid fraud control unit, working with the HHS Inspector General and the state Medicaid agency, to audit a statistically valid sample of high-risk Medicaid providers and suppliers at least once a year to identify fraud, waste, and abuse, with those providers defined by federal risk screening or by warning signs such as abnormal billing patterns, prior audits, payment anomalies, risky ownership ties, or credible fraud allegations. It would also require the units to summarize those audits, including how much in overpayments was identified and collected, in their annual reports to the HHS Secretary, though the Secretary could still certify a unit that misses the requirement if it adopts a corrective action plan.
Where it stands: HR 10615, the Medicaid Integrity Improvement Act, was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on September 28, 2026. The bill is in the earliest committee stage, where a hearing is not required before a markup and a hearing would not commit the chair to anything.

HR 10559 US House Last action
September 24, 2026 BenefitLong shot

LARC Access Expansion Act

Ashley Hinson (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would create new federal grant programs under the Public Health Service Act that fund eligible health centers to train staff in providing long-acting reversible contraception, buy and stock LARCs for same-day insertion, and run a telehealth consortium with rural hospitals and clinics to expand women's access to these contraceptives. To qualify, a health center must not receive Title X family planning funds and must certify that neither it nor any entity it funds performs abortions, and no grant money may be spent on LARCs used as emergency contraception. This bill gives community health centers, including Tribal health centers, new federal grants to train staff, stock long-acting reversible contraception for same-day insertion, and join telehealth consortia, while excluding those receiving Title X funds or performing abortions.
Where it stands: HR10559 was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on September 24, 2026, so it sits at the earliest stage of the House process. No hearing or markup has been noticed, and committee action is the ordinary route, though leadership could still move the bill by other paths such as suspension, a special rule, or discharge.

S 5496 US Senate Last action
September 24, 2026 MixedLong shot

Health CARE Act of 2026

Mark R. Warner (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: This proposal would repeal most health provisions of the 2025 reconciliation law and then make sweeping changes to the health system, including permanently expanding Affordable Care Act premium tax credits beyond the current income cap, creating a low-cost public health plan option through the Exchanges, and boosting federal Medicaid matching funds. It would also cap yearly out-of-pocket and insulin costs for people with health plans, add Medicare coverage for hearing aids and audiology services, extend Medicare drug price negotiation and inflation rebates into the commercial insurance market, ban abusive spread pricing by pharmacy benefit managers in Medicaid, and impose new price and billing transparency requirements on hospitals, labs, imaging centers, health plans, and providers, backed by daily penalties for noncompliance. This bill gives physician practices, clinics, labs, imaging centers, and surgical centers more insured patients and federal funding, while requiring them to post standard charges quarterly, share claims data, and follow new billing limits backed by daily fines.
Where it stands: The Health CARE Act of 2026 was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance on September 24, 2026. It is now at the committee stage, the first and most common choke point in the Senate, where most bills never advance to a markup.

S 5522 US Senate Last action
September 24, 2026 BurdenLong shot

Protecting Biological Data as Critical Infrastructure Act

Todd Young (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would direct the Department of Homeland Security's cybersecurity agency to treat genetic data systems holding genomic sequences and other sensitive biometric data as critical infrastructure, oversee their security, train federal personnel to protect them, and take actions to protect biological data and biotechnology infrastructure. It would also require the agency to consult and collaborate with biotechnology sector stakeholders and provide them a secure channel to report incidents, raise concerns, and request technical assistance. This bill treats genetic data systems holding genomic sequences and sensitive biometric data as critical infrastructure, placing federal security oversight and compliance duties on physician-affiliated diagnostic and genomic laboratories that operate such systems, while offering technical assistance.
Where it stands: S. 5522 was read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on September 24, 2026, and no committee meetings are scheduled in our calendar data, so it awaits any committee action.

HR 10531 US House Last action
September 24, 2026 BenefitLong shot

Sickle Cell Disease Treatment Centers Act of 2026

Sector-wide

Alma S. Adams (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would create a new federal grant program to set up sickle cell disease treatment centers organized as hub-and-spoke networks, pairing medical hubs like hospitals and university health centers with spokes such as community health centers and primary care providers, plus community-based nonprofits, to deliver coordinated lifelong care. It would also create a National Sickle Cell Disease Coordinating Center, expand CDC data collection on sickle cell disease, and authorize unlimited appropriations for fiscal year 2027 and beyond, with 70 percent of funds going to hub-and-spoke networks, 20 percent to community-based organizations, and 5 percent each to the coordinating center and CDC data activities.
Where it stands: HR10531 was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on September 24, 2026 and is at the starting point of the ordinary House route, where the committee chair decides whether the bill ever gets a hearing or a markup. No further dated action or scheduled meeting appears in the record.

S 5515 US Senate Last action
September 24, 2026 BenefitLong shot

CARE for Moms Act

Sector-wide

Richard J. Durbin (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The CARE for Moms Act would spend roughly $300 million over five years on maternal health, creating grant programs for perinatal quality collaboratives ($35 million a year), regional centers for implicit bias training ($5 million a year), a $50 million doula workforce program, and rural mobile obstetric health units ($10 million a year), while requiring Medicaid and CHIP to cover 12 months of continuous postpartum care, dental care for pregnant and postpartum women, and a 90 percent federal match for obstetric services at rural hospitals. To help pay for it, the bill would roughly double federal excise taxes on cigarettes and raise taxes on cigars, pipe tobacco, roll-your-own tobacco, and smokeless tobacco, while taxing nicotine products like pouches and lozenges at a rate matched to cigarettes, with annual inflation adjustments and a floor stocks tax on inventory on hand when the higher rates take effect. This bill funds perinatal quality collaboratives, rural mobile obstetric clinics, and doula workforce training, expands Medicaid and CHIP dental and 12-month postpartum coverage that pays physician practices, clinics, and health centers, and raises federal Medicaid matching rates for rural obstetric care.
Where it stands: S5515 was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance on September 24, 2026. It now sits at the committee stage, where most bills in this chamber stall.

HR 7651 US House Last action
July 15, 2026 BurdenLong shotNew text pending

Chloe Cole Act of 2026

Robert F. Onder, Jr. (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would let people who received puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, or related gender-transition surgeries as minors, along with their parents or guardians, sue the health care professionals, hospitals, and clinics that provided those treatments in federal court for compensatory, emotional distress, and in some cases punitive damages. Suits could reach conduct from before or after the bill becomes law, providers would face strict liability for post-enactment treatments proven by clear and convincing evidence, and claims could be filed up to 25 years after the plaintiff turns 18 or within 4 years of incurring the cost of care to reverse a prior treatment, whichever is later. This bill lets patients treated with puberty blockers, hormones, or transition surgeries as minors sue the physicians, clinics, and practitioners that provided them, imposing strict liability and damages that consent forms cannot waive.
Where it stands: On July 15, 2026, the House Committee on the Judiciary held its markup and ordered the Chloe Cole Act of 2026 reported to the House as amended by a vote of 15 to 8, so the bill has cleared its committee. The adopted amendment text is not on file, so the operative language remains the latest published print with amended text pending, and no calendar placement is on the record.

S 5489 US Senate Last action
September 23, 2026 BenefitLong shot

Sickle Cell Care Expansion Act of 2026

Chris Van Hollen (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would create a federal scholarship and loan repayment program, run by the Health Resources and Services Administration, that pays medical students' and physicians' education costs in exchange for multi-year commitments to work in sickle cell disease research, treatment, or patient care, authorizing $150 million, $50 million, and $70 million per year (a combined $270 million) for fiscal years 2027 through 2032. It would also fund two related grant programs for community education and advocacy programs and for programs helping sickle cell patients ages 18 to 29 transition from pediatric to adult care, with grants going to nonprofits, clinics, federally qualified health centers, hospitals, and institutions of higher education. This bill funds clinics, federally qualified health centers, and physician practices that treat or advocate for sickle cell disease patients with grants for education and care transition programs, plus federally paid physicians committing to sickle cell care.
Where it stands: On September 23, 2026 the bill was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, where it sits awaiting committee action. Committee action is the ordinary route in the Senate, and most measures advance no further without it.

S 5462 US Senate Last action
September 23, 2026 BenefitLong shot

FCHIP Extension Act

John Hoeven (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would extend the Frontier Community Health Integration Project Demonstration, a Medicare program serving frontier communities, by lengthening its authorized period from 5 years to 10 years, with the change taking effect on December 31, 2026, when the original 5-year period would have run out. This bill extends the Frontier Community Health Integration Project Medicare demonstration from 5 to 10 years through December 31, 2026, keeping home health agencies in frontier communities funded for integrated care.
Where it stands: S5462, the FCHIP Extension Act, was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance on September 23, 2026. It now sits at the committee stage, the Senate's most common choke point, where most bills never reach a markup.

S 5488 US Senate Last action
September 23, 2026 BenefitLong shot

Sickle Cell Disease Treatment Centers Act of 2026

Sector-wide

Chris Van Hollen (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would create a federal grant program to set up sickle cell disease treatment centers built on hub-and-spoke networks of hospitals, clinics, university health centers, local providers, and community-based nonprofits, coordinated by a new national center and a CDC data collection effort. It would authorize unlimited appropriations for these activities starting in fiscal year 2027, with 70 percent of the money going to the hub-and-spoke networks, 20 percent to community-based organizations, 5 percent to the coordinating center, and 5 percent to the CDC data program.
Where it stands: S5488 was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions on September 23, 2026, so it sits at the committee stage, the chamber's most frequent choke point, where most bills never get a markup. No markup or other committee action is scheduled in our calendar data.

S 5443 US Senate Last action
September 17, 2026 BenefitLong shot

Health Infrastructure Security and Accountability Act of 2026

Mark R. Warner (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would require health care providers, health plans, clearinghouses, and their business associates to meet new minimum and enhanced federal cybersecurity standards, run annual security risk analyses and stress tests, publish compliance statements on public websites, hire independent auditors, and pay a new user fee capped at $40 million in 2028 and $50 million in 2029, with civil penalties of up to $5,000 per day and felony charges of up to $1 million in fines and 10 years in prison for false or missing reports. It would also send $800 million in Medicare payments to critical access and eligible high-needs hospitals in fiscal years 2029 and 2030 and $500 million in fiscal years 2031 and 2032 to adopt cybersecurity practices, while cutting Medicare payments for hospitals that do not adopt them, and it would let Medicare make accelerated and advance payments to hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, and other providers and suppliers whose claims processing is disrupted by a cyber incident. This bill requires physician practices, clinics, labs, home health agencies, and other HIPAA covered entities to conduct annual security risk analyses and audits, pay a new user fee, face sharply higher penalties, while clinics and suppliers gain access to accelerated Medicare payments after cyber incidents.
Where it stands: S5443 was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance on September 17, 2026, so it is at the committee stage, the first and most common choke point in the Senate. No markup or other committee meeting is scheduled in our calendar data, and the Finance chair schedules any markup.

HR 10414 US House Last action
September 16, 2026 BenefitLong shot

Community Health Worker Access Act

Alma S. Adams (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would add community health services, such as preventive care, outreach, care coordination, and social support delivered through community health agencies, to Medicare coverage starting January 1, 2027, paying 100 percent of the lesser of the actual charge or a fee set by the Secretary and waiving the deductible for these services. It would also give states the option, beginning January 1, 2027, to cover preventive and social determinant services furnished by community health workers, promotoras, or community health representatives under Medicaid, with the federal match for those services increased by 6 percentage points. This bill makes Medicare and Medicaid cover preventive and social-support services furnished by community health workers under physician supervision, with a 6 percentage point federal match boost, benefiting physician practices, clinics, and community health agencies starting in 2027.
Where it stands: The Community Health Worker Access Act (HR 10414) was referred on September 16, 2026 to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker. The bill sits at the start of the House committee stage, with no hearings or markups currently scheduled in either panel.

HR 10444 US House Last action
September 16, 2026 BurdenLong shot

Stop Corporate Takeovers of Physicians Act of 2026

Val T. Hoyle (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would make it illegal for any business entity not majority-owned and controlled by licensed physicians or other advanced practice providers to own or run a medical practice or employ licensed clinicians, with exceptions for nonprofits, public providers, hospitals, and certain rural and hospital-affiliated clinics, and its requirements would take effect one year after enactment. It would also void non-compete and nondisclosure agreements for employed clinicians, keeping non-competes enforceable only against licensees who hold at least a quarter of the practice, bar management services organizations from owning practice equity or controlling clinical, hiring, billing, or contracting decisions, and let the Federal Trade Commission, state attorneys general, and private plaintiffs sue violators for treble damages, attorney fees, divestment of entities, and disgorgement of the revenue from divested entities. This bill bars physician practices, health care providers, and management services organizations from entering non-compete and non-disclosure agreements, voids MSO agreements controlling medical practices, requires licensee owners to be licensed and practicing in-state, and exempts nonprofit and public providers from its corporate-practice prohibition.
Where it stands: HR 10444 was referred on September 16, 2026 to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and, in addition, to the House Committee on Ways and Means, with the periods of reference to be subsequently determined by the Speaker. The bill is at the earliest committee stage; each committee chair alone decides whether a hearing or markup is noticed, and none appears in the available calendar data.

S 5419 US Senate Last action
September 16, 2026 BurdenLong shot

Stop Corporate Takeovers of Physicians Act of 2026

Elizabeth Warren (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would make it unlawful for any company that is not majority-owned and controlled by licensed physicians and advanced practice providers to own a medical practice, employ such licensed professionals, or practice medicine, with carve-outs for nonprofit providers, hospitals, hospital-affiliated clinics, and certain rural hospitals. It would also void non-compete and non-disclosure agreements for licensees except non-competes with licensees owning at least 25 percent of a practice, bar health care providers from interfering with clinicians' professional judgment, impose sweeping restrictions on management services organizations including arm's-length fair-market-value contracting, and allow enforcement by the Federal Trade Commission, private plaintiffs with treble damages, and state attorneys general, with courts able to order divestment and disgorgement, violations also grounds for exclusion from federal health programs, and all requirements taking effect one year after enactment. This bill bars corporations not owned by licensed clinicians from owning or running medical practices, bans non-compete and gag agreements and interference with clinical judgment, and exposes violating physician practices to divestiture and revenue disgorgement, while exempting nonprofit and public providers.
Where it stands: S5419 was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on September 16, 2026, and no hearing, markup, or calendar placement appears in the record. Referral places the bill at the committee stage, the chamber's most common choke point, where most bills go no further.

HR 10398 US House Last action
September 15, 2026 MixedLong shot

CHC REBASE Act of 2026

Michael A. Rulli (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would raise Medicare payments to Federally qualified health centers by directing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to rebase their prospective payment rates for 2028 so they cover 100 percent of estimated reasonable costs, while requiring health centers to submit cost and data reports and convening a working group to recommend further payment changes, including adding services to the payable list. It would also guarantee that telehealth visits at Federally qualified health centers and rural health clinics are paid under those centers' payment systems starting in 2027, and require federal guidance, an appeal mechanism, and a study on the centers' access to Medicare Advantage networks. This bill directly affects federally qualified health centers by raising Medicare payment rates to 100% of reasonable costs, requiring cost and program reports, guaranteeing payment for telehealth services, and providing payment guidance plus appeal rights on contractor determinations.
Where it stands: HR10398, the CHC REBASE Act of 2026, was referred on September 15, 2026 to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and in addition to the House Committee on Ways and Means, for periods to be subsequently determined by the Speaker. It is at the very start of the House process: no hearing, no markup, and no floor calendar position appears in the record, and the committee calendars show no upcoming meetings for it.

HR 10240 US House Last action
September 10, 2026 BenefitLong shot

Behavioral Health Crisis Services Expansion Act of 2026

Jennifer L. McClellan (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would require Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, TRICARE, VA reimbursement, federal employee health plans, and private group and individual health insurance to cover mental health and substance use crisis response services, including mobile crisis teams, crisis receiving and stabilization facilities, and mental health urgent care facilities, with the new coverage generally starting 3 years after enactment. It would also set Medicare payment for those services at 80 percent of the lesser of the actual charge or a new payment basis set by the Secretary, and require coverage of ambulance transport of people in crisis to appropriate crisis facilities. This bill requires Medicare, Medicaid, and other plans to cover walk-in mental health urgent care facilities, crisis services, and ambulance transport to crisis facilities, giving outpatient clinics and transport providers a new paying market.
Where it stands: The bill was referred on September 3, 2026 to six committees: Energy and Commerce, Ways and Means, Armed Services, Veterans' Affairs, Oversight and Government Reform, and Education and Workforce. On September 10, 2026 it was referred to the Subcommittee on Health, and no hearing or markup has been noticed.

HR 10246 US House Last action
September 3, 2026 BenefitLong shot

9–8–8 Community Infrastructure Act

Nanette Diaz Barragán (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would create a federal grant program through the Public Health Service Act giving community health centers and crisis response facilities, such as crisis receiving and stabilization facilities and crisis call centers, money for building, expanding, and renovating mental health and substance use crisis care facilities. It would authorize $1,000,000,000 in appropriations for these capital projects, with the funds remaining available until spent. This bill gives community health centers and mental health urgent care facilities up to $1 billion in federal grants to build, expand, or renovate outpatient crisis care facilities and pay off loans for those projects.
Where it stands: HR10246 was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on September 3, 2026, and no meeting, hearing, or markup is on the calendar; within the committee, the chair decides whether a hearing or markup is ever noticed.

HR 10270 US House Last action
September 3, 2026 BenefitLong shot

Supporting 9–8–8 Crisis Stabilization Act

Daniel S. Goldman (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would change Medicaid rules so that certain mental health crisis facilities, including certified community behavioral health clinics, community mental health centers, crisis receiving and stabilization facilities, and walk-in mental health urgent care facilities, are no longer counted as institutions for mental diseases, which would let Medicaid pay for care provided in them. It would also require the Health and Human Services Department to issue guidance to states within 180 days and report to Congress within a year on how the facilities are used and whether they reduce emergency room visits, psychiatric hospital admissions, and jail incarcerations. This bill lets community behavioral health clinics, community mental health centers, crisis receiving and stabilization facilities, and mental health urgent care walk-in facilities bill Medicaid for care, by removing their old barrier under the IMD exclusion.
Where it stands: HR10270 was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on September 3, 2026 and sits at the start of the committee stage, with no committee meeting appearing in available calendar data. At this position the bill's ordinary fate is quiet inaction in committee, since the chair alone decides whether a hearing or markup is ever noticed.

HR 6130 US House Last action
September 16, 2026 MixedLong shot

ASAP Act

Vern Buchanan (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would have Medicare cover FDA-cleared or approved blood tests, including genomic sequencing blood tests, that detect early or pre-symptomatic Alzheimer's disease and related dementias starting January 1, 2028, paying for them at the rates set under the clinical lab fee schedule process, with limits that the patient be at elevated risk, be at least 50 and under a rising age cap starting at 65 in 2028, and not have had such a test in the previous 59 months. It would also require that the cognitive impairment check in Medicare annual wellness visits and initial preventive physical examinations use assessment tools identified by the National Institute on Aging, with the tool and results documented in the patient's medical record, effective for those visits on or after January 1, 2028. This bill gives Medicare coverage of FDA-cleared blood tests for early Alzheimer's detection to laboratories and physician practices starting in 2028, while requiring doctors to use NIA-identified cognitive assessment tools and document results in annual wellness visits.
Where it stands: HR6130 was referred on November 19, 2025 to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and to the House Committee on Ways and Means. On September 16, 2026 the Ways and Means Committee, at a markup, ordered the bill reported in the nature of a substitute by a vote of 40 to 0; the record shows no written report filed and no calendar placement, and Energy and Commerce has acted on the bill only at its September 15, 2026 hearing, with its referral still active.

HR 10171 US House Last action
August 27, 2026 BenefitLong shot

Improving Health Through Integrated Food and Nutrition Services at Federally Qualified Health Centers Act

Joseph D. Morelle (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would establish a competitive grant program for Federally Qualified Health Centers to implement food insecurity screenings, operate food pantries, and hire nutrition professionals. It authorizes $100,000,000 annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to fund these integrated health and nutrition services. This bill directly funds Federally Qualified Health Centers with competitive grants to screen patients for food insecurity, run food pantries, and hire nutrition professionals, in exchange for reporting duties, while other clinics gain no funds.
Where it stands: HR10171 was referred on August 27, 2026, to the Committee on Agriculture, the Committee on Energy and Commerce, and the Committee on Education and Workforce, with no single primary panel designated. The chairs of these three committees now hold the authority to decide whether to notice hearings or markups for the provisions within their respective jurisdictions.

HR 10087 US House Last action
August 13, 2026 BenefitLong shot

Cancer Care Planning and Communications Act

Mark DeSaulnier (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: This act would amend the Social Security Act to include cancer care planning and coordination services as a covered benefit under Medicare. The bill establishes that physicians, physician assistants, or nurse practitioners must provide written or electronic treatment plans at key stages of a patient's care and sets the reimbursement rate equal to that of transitional care management services. This bill creates a new Medicare-covered benefit for cancer care planning services, allowing physician practices and clinics to bill and be reimbursed when their physicians, physician assistants, or nurse practitioners prepare written cancer treatment plans for patients.
Where it stands: HR10087 was referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Ways and Means on August 13, 2026, with no primary committee designated. No meetings are currently scheduled, and the bill remains in the initial referral stage.

S 5365 US Senate Last action
August 7, 2026 MixedLong shot

Community Mental Wellness Worker Training Act

Cory A. Booker (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would create a federal grant program, authorized at $25 million a year for fiscal years 2027 through 2031, that the Health and Human Services Secretary could award to community behavioral health clinics, community mental health centers, tax-exempt hospitals, and similar organizations to train and certify community mental wellness workers to screen for and treat common mental health and substance use conditions, with priority for grantees in poor, underserved, or high substance use areas. During the grant period, the bill would extend federal malpractice protections to covered grantee staff, such as physicians and licensed practitioners at participating clinics and centers, and require those entities to submit and update lists of participating personnel, with the Secretary reporting results to Congress and reserving at least 20 percent of funds for training and technical assistance. This bill funds training and extends federal malpractice liability protections to certified community behavioral health clinics and community mental health centers, while covered participants must submit staff and board lists to the Secretary and nonrecipient outpatient centers gain no such benefits.
Where it stands: S5365 was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions on August 7, 2026, and the record shows no scheduled committee meetings and no further action since that referral. The bill sits at the committee stage, where most measures in this chamber stall, though committee action is the ordinary route rather than an absolute prerequisite.

S 5269 US Senate Last action
August 5, 2026 BenefitLong shot

Pay PCPs Act of 2026

Sheldon Whitehouse (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill authorizes the establishment of hybrid primary care payments under Medicare, combining per-member-per-month prospective payments with fee-for-service reimbursement for primary care providers, and appropriates $10 billion for fiscal years 2027 through 2031. It also allows the Secretary of Health and Human Services to reduce beneficiary cost sharing by 50 percent for these services and creates a temporary technical advisory committee to advise on payment valuation methodologies. This bill lets physician practices and clinics whose providers furnish primary care receive hybrid Medicare payments combining monthly per-patient payments with fee-for-service billing, exempts them from certain quality reporting, and cuts beneficiary cost sharing for primary care visits by half.
Where it stands: The Pay PCPs Act of 2026 was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance on August 5, 2026. The bill is currently in the initial stage of committee consideration with no upcoming meetings scheduled.

S 5270 US Senate Last action
August 5, 2026 BenefitLong shot

Medicare at Home Act

Andy Kim (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: This bill would create a new Medicare Part B benefit that covers up to 20 hours per week of in-home personal care services for beneficiaries who require assistance with specific daily living activities. To fund this expansion, the legislation would increase monthly Medicare Part B premiums to account for the additional costs. This bill creates a Medicare Part B benefit paying home care agencies and enrolled home care workers up to 20 hours weekly for personal care, while requiring physicians to establish and periodically review each patient's plan of care.
Where it stands: The bill was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance on August 5, 2026. No committee meetings are scheduled, and the measure remains in the committee stage with no further actions recorded.

S 5244 US Senate Last action
August 5, 2026 BurdenLong shot

SUSTAIN 340B Act

Jerry Moran (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: This legislation tightens 340B drug discount program eligibility by defining strict patient relationships, limiting contract pharmacy use, and establishing a data clearinghouse to prevent duplicate discounts. It imposes a user fee on participating entities starting in fiscal year 2031 and requires manufacturers to offer drugs at discounted prices to contract pharmacies while prohibiting discrimination by insurers and pharmacy benefit managers. This bill imposes new annual reporting duties, patient financial assistance transparency requirements, and user fees starting fiscal year 2031 on physician clinics and health centers in the 340B drug discount program, while barring insurers and pharmacy benefit managers from discriminating against their 340B pharmacies.
Where it stands: The SUSTAIN 340B Act was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions on August 5, 2026. This places the bill in committee consideration, where the chair controls the scheduling of a markup.

S 5236 US Senate Last action
August 4, 2026 BenefitLong shot

Improving CARE for Youth Act

Margaret Wood Hassan (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: This bill requires Medicaid plans to pay for mental health or primary care services furnished on the same day as another qualifying service at the same outpatient facility. It defines same-day qualifying services to ensure providers receive reimbursement when both types of care are delivered to an individual in an office, clinic, or other outpatient facility. This bill requires Medicaid plans to pay physician practices, clinics, and outpatient care centers for mental health and primary care services furnished on the same day at the same facility, ensuring providers are reimbursed for both visits.
Where it stands: S5236 was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance on August 4, 2026. No meetings are currently scheduled for the committee.

HR 9984 US House Last action
July 30, 2026 BenefitLong shot

Medicare Access to Radiology Care Act of 2026

John Joyce (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would allow Medicare to pay for imaging services performed by certified radiologist assistants under the supervision of a radiologist. Payment for these services would be made to the supervising radiologist at a reduced rate based on the physician fee schedule. This bill lets radiology practices, diagnostic labs, and imaging clinics bill Medicare for imaging done by certified radiologist assistants, paying the supervising radiologist at a reduced rate, and covers ambulatory surgical centers as eligible settings.
Where it stands: HR9984 was referred on July 30, 2026, to the Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Ways and Means, with the Speaker determining the consideration period. No committee action has occurred, and no meetings are currently scheduled for the bill.

HR 9990 US House Last action
July 30, 2026 BenefitLong shot

Increasing Mental Health Options Act of 2026

Nicole Malliotakis (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would pay clinical psychologists an additional 10 percent on Medicare service fees when treating patients in designated health professional shortage areas beginning in 2026. It would also allow clinical psychologists to supervise or care for patients receiving qualified psychologist services in various healthcare settings without requiring physician oversight, effective January 1, 2027. This bill gives clinical psychologists a 10 percent Medicare payment boost for treating patients in shortage areas and lets them care for and supervise patients in outpatient, home health, and similar settings without physician oversight from 2027, while reducing physicians' supervisory role in behavioral health.
Where it stands: HR 9990 was referred on July 30, 2026, to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the House Committee on Ways and Means, with no meetings currently scheduled. Both committee chairs act as gatekeepers for further procedural movement, as neither panel is designated as primary.

S 5164 US Senate Last action
July 29, 2026 BenefitLong shot

Rural Emergency Hospital Designation Improvement Act

Jerry Moran (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill expands eligibility for rural emergency hospital designation by allowing facilities that operated similarly to such hospitals after January 2015 to apply and by permitting the addition of psychiatric, rehabilitation, and obstetric units. It also increases Medicare payments for diagnostic laboratory tests by five percent, allows these hospitals to operate swing beds for extended care, and includes their services in Medicaid coverage. This bill boosts Medicare payment for diagnostic laboratory tests by five percent, directly benefiting medical labs and physician practices and clinics that rely on those tests, while also supporting rural hospitals and their outpatient services.
Where it stands: S5164 was read twice and referred to the Committee on Finance on July 29, 2026, placing it in the committee stage where the chair controls scheduling for a hearing or markup. While committee action is the ordinary route, Senate rules allow for bypassing committee via unanimous consent, discharge, or use as an amendment.

S 5120 US Senate Last action
July 23, 2026 BenefitLong shot

Increasing Mental Health Options Act of 2026

Martin Heinrich (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would pay clinical psychologists an additional 10 percent for services provided to Medicare patients in designated health professional shortage areas beginning in 2028. It would also allow clinical psychologists to supervise or care for patients receiving behavioral health services in skilled nursing facilities, home health, and other settings without requiring physician supervision where state law permits. This bill gives clinical psychologist practices a 10 percent Medicare payment boost in shortage areas starting in 2028 and lets them care for patients in home health, outpatient rehabilitation, and skilled nursing settings without physician supervision where state law allows.
Where it stands: S5120 is in the Senate Committee on Finance after being read twice and referred there on July 23, 2026. No upcoming meetings are scheduled in the available data.

May also reach

Measures that reach Physicians & Outpatient Care indirectly

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S 4110 US Senate Last action
July 28, 2026 May reachLong shot

EMPOWER for Health Act

Jack Reed (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: This bill reauthorizes and increases funding for federal health workforce education and training programs through fiscal year 2031, with total annual authorizations rising to approximately $300 million. It also expands eligibility for pediatric workforce grants to include underserved populations and requires specific service obligations for grant recipients. This bill renews federal workforce training grants through 2031, funding physician practices, clinics, and community health centers that serve underserved populations, while requiring pediatric specialists receiving aid to provide direct clinical care full time.
Where it stands: The bill was reported by the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions on July 28, 2026, and placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders as Calendar No. 529. Since it was reported without a written report, no waiting period applies, and the measure is now awaiting floor consideration.

HR 10731 US House Last action
October 5, 2026 May reachLong shot

Rural Surgery Sustainability Act of 2026

Sharice Davids (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would raise the Medicare cost pass-through cap for certified registered nurse anesthetist services from 500 to 1,250 surgical procedures per year, spare hospitals with active labor and delivery units from those volume and annual-hours limits, and require the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission to report to Congress on paying for on-call nurse anesthetist services. It would also direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to review and update these limits at least every 2 years with inflation adjustments tied to the Medicare Economic Index, with the changes applying to services furnished on or after January 1, 2027. This bill raises Medicare cost pass-through limits and directs MedPAC to study paying for on-call certified registered nurse anesthetist services, indirectly benefiting outpatient physician practices and clinics that rely on nurse anesthetist coverage for surgeries.
Where it stands: HR10731 was referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means on October 5, 2026 and sits at the earliest stage of the committee process, with no hearing or markup appearing in the available calendar data. Ways and Means holds its regular meeting day each Wednesday the House sits.

HR 10707 US House Last action
October 1, 2026 May reachLong shot

Internationally Trained Physicians Assistance Act of 2026

Adam Smith (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would let the federal health department give states grants to build programs letting internationally trained doctors practice medicine under supervision while finishing their US licensing exams, and would exempt certain such doctors at hospitals that predominantly serve medically underserved populations and have training agreements with rural hospitals or community health centers from Medicare's residency cap. It would also fund state programs covering these doctors' exam fees, career counseling, case management, English classes, diploma verification help, and test preparation, and require a report to Congress within 180 days on removing the residency cap entirely. This bill lets community health centers host internationally trained doctors finishing US licensing under supervision, since hospitals qualify for Medicare residency cap exemptions only by training these doctors at Federally qualified health centers or rural hospitals.
Where it stands: HR 10707 was referred on October 1, 2026 to two committees, Energy and Commerce and Ways and Means, in a multiple referral under which the Speaker will set the period for each panel. No hearing or markup is currently scheduled, so the bill awaits any action the committee chairs choose to notice.

HR 10704 US House Last action
October 1, 2026 May reachLong shot

Direct CARE Opportunity Act of 2026

Robert C. "Bobby" Scott (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would create a grant program run by the Labor Department in coordination with Health and Human Services, awarding grants lasting at least 5 years to states, tribes, labor organizations, nonprofits, and other eligible entities to fund recruitment, retention, training, wage supports, and career advancement strategies for direct care workers. It would appropriate $300 million per year for fiscal years 2027 through 2032 for the grants, plus $6 million per year for technical assistance to help grantees and support the direct care workforce, with up to 2 percent of grant funds reserved for that assistance. This bill funds grants that home health providers and other physician-side outpatient employers of direct care workers can use to recruit, retain, and advance those workers through free training, wage supports, and services like child care and transportation.
Where it stands: HR10704 was referred on October 1, 2026 to the Committee on Education and Workforce and in addition to the Committee on Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker. The bill sits at the start of the House committee stage: each committee's chair decides whether a hearing or markup is ever noticed, and no such meeting is scheduled in available calendar data.

S 5515 US Senate Last action
September 24, 2026 May reachLong shot

CARE for Moms Act

Richard J. Durbin (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The CARE for Moms Act would spend roughly $300 million over five years on maternal health, creating grant programs for perinatal quality collaboratives ($35 million a year), regional centers for implicit bias training ($5 million a year), a $50 million doula workforce program, and rural mobile obstetric health units ($10 million a year), while requiring Medicaid and CHIP to cover 12 months of continuous postpartum care, dental care for pregnant and postpartum women, and a 90 percent federal match for obstetric services at rural hospitals. To help pay for it, the bill would roughly double federal excise taxes on cigarettes and raise taxes on cigars, pipe tobacco, roll-your-own tobacco, and smokeless tobacco, while taxing nicotine products like pouches and lozenges at a rate matched to cigarettes, with annual inflation adjustments and a floor stocks tax on inventory on hand when the higher rates take effect. This bill funds perinatal quality collaboratives, rural mobile obstetric clinics, and doula workforce training, expands Medicaid and CHIP dental and 12-month postpartum coverage that pays physician practices, clinics, and health centers, and raises federal Medicaid matching rates for rural obstetric care.
Where it stands: S5515 was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance on September 24, 2026. It now sits at the committee stage, where most bills in this chamber stall.

HR 10440 US House Last action
September 16, 2026 May reachLong shot

REACH Act

Pat Harrigan (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would create a new refundable federal income tax credit of up to $10,000 per year for individuals who work at least 900 hours in a taxable year as primary care practitioners, mental health professionals, nurses, or medical residents in a rural area. The credit would phase out for providers with adjusted gross income above $170,000, apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2026, and end for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2033. This bill gives a $10,000 tax credit to primary care practitioners, mental health professionals, nurses, and residents working in rural areas, indirectly helping rural physician offices, clinics, and outpatient centers attract and keep staff.
Where it stands: The REACH Act (H.R. 10440) was referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means on September 16, 2026. It is at the start of the committee stage, where the committee's chair alone decides whether the bill ever gets a hearing or a markup.

HR 10293 US House Last action
September 3, 2026 May reachLong shot

Rural Emergency Hospital Designation Improvement Act

Jill N. Tokuda (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would loosen the rules for the Medicare and Medicaid rural emergency hospital designation, reopening eligibility to facilities that closed at any point during a period beginning on January 1, 2015, directing the Secretary to waive certain requirements for similar facilities, and letting designated hospitals keep licensed psychiatric, rehabilitation, and obstetric units, furnish skilled nursing care through swing bed agreements at reasonable cost, regain their prior necessary provider status if they convert back to critical access hospitals (as long as they held that status before converting), qualify for National Health Service Corps placement as shortage-area sites, and receive small rural hospital improvement grants. It would also pay rural emergency hospitals 5 percent above the normal fee schedule for diagnostic laboratory tests that are not covered outpatient department services starting on January 1, 2027, and require Medicaid to cover rural emergency hospital services, including care in a distinct nursing facility unit of such a hospital. This bill boosts Medicare payment by 5 percent for diagnostic laboratory tests performed by rural emergency hospitals starting in 2027, and expands Medicaid coverage of their services, changing revenues for clinics and labs tied to those hospitals.
Where it stands: HR 10293 was referred on September 3, 2026 to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and, in addition, to the House Committee on Ways and Means, with the period for each referral to be subsequently determined by the Speaker. It is at the very start of the committee stage: no hearing or markup is scheduled in the available calendar data for either committee.

HR 9257 US House Last action
June 11, 2026 May reachLong shot

Primary and Behavioral Health Care Access Act of 2026

Lauren Underwood (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would require group health plans and health insurers offering group or individual coverage to cover 3 primary care visits and 3 behavioral health visits per plan year with no copays, deductibles, or other cost sharing for the patient. It would bar plans from applying extra restrictions to those visits and would require the same payment rates as for any other comparable visit, with the rule taking effect for plan years starting at least 2 years after enactment. This bill requires insurers to cover three primary care and three behavioral health visits per year with no patient cost sharing and pay providers the same rates as other visits, likely increasing patient volume for physician practices, clinics, and outpatient providers.
Where it stands: H.R. 9257 was referred on June 11, 2026 to the Committee on Energy and Commerce and in addition to the Committees on Education and Workforce and Ways and Means, each for consideration of provisions within its jurisdiction. The bill sits at the very start of committee consideration, and a three-way referral of this kind adds veto points and predicts delay.

S 4754 US Senate Last action
June 11, 2026 May reachLong shot

Primary and Behavioral Health Care Access Act of 2026

Angus S. King, Jr. · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would require group health plans and health insurance issuers offering group or individual coverage to cover 3 primary care visits and 3 behavioral health care visits per plan year with no cost sharing for the patient, with no extra treatment limits and the same reimbursement rates as any other such visit. It would also allow high deductible health plans to provide this coverage before the deductible is met, and the requirements would apply to plan years beginning 2 or more years after enactment. This bill requires insurers to cover three primary care and three behavioral health visits per year with no patient cost sharing, which would send more patients to physician practices, clinics, community health centers, and outpatient care centers at full reimbursement rates.
Where it stands: S4754 was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions on June 11, 2026. The bill is now at the committee stage, where the committee chair decides whether anything happens and committees need not act on referred bills.

S 4480 US Senate Last action
May 11, 2026 May reachLong shot

Optimizing Postpartum Outcomes Act of 2026

Lisa Blunt Rochester (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: The bill would require the Health and Human Services Department to issue guidance within a year on how Medicaid and CHIP can cover pelvic floor examinations and pelvic health physical therapy for women during and after pregnancy, including best practices, financing options, and billing codes, and would direct a congressional watchdog study of coverage gaps for postpartum women. It would also spend up to $2 million per year from 2027 through 2031 on a federal education campaign to train health professionals on pelvic floor exams and to teach postpartum women how to get those exams and physical therapy referrals. This bill directs federal guidance on Medicaid and CHIP coverage for postpartum pelvic health services, benefiting physician practices, clinics, and outpatient centers that provide pelvic floor exams and physical therapy with clearer reimbursement pathways.
Where it stands: The bill was read twice and referred to the Senate Committee on Finance on May 11, 2026. It now sits at the chamber's most common choke point, where the committee's chair decides whether anything happens and committees need not act on referred bills.

HR 8084 US House Last action
March 25, 2026 May reachLong shot

Access to LARCs Act

Ashley Hinson (Republican) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: This bill directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to study barriers to contraceptive access at community health centers in areas with few clinics and report the findings to Congress within 180 days of enactment. The study must analyze reimbursement issues, inventory stocking, provider training, and patient education while identifying which centers receive specific federal funding. This bill directs HHS to study what barriers, including reimbursement, stocking, training, and patient education, keep community health centers in underserved areas from providing contraceptive care, with findings reported to Congress.
Where it stands: HR 8084 is stalled at the referral stage with the House Committee on Energy and Commerce as of March 25, 2026. The committee chair controls whether a hearing or markup is scheduled, and no meetings are currently on the calendar.

HR 7385 US House Last action
February 4, 2026 May reachLong shot

PrEP Assistance Program Act

Bonnie Watson Coleman (Democrat) · Sponsor of record · Official record ↗

What it does: This proposal would authorize $2 billion over five years to create a grant program for states and health centers to fund HIV prevention services and establish a reimbursement system for providers serving uninsured patients. These funds would cover the costs of HIV-prevention medications, testing, and counseling, ensuring that uninsured individuals can access these services without paying out of pocket. This bill gives $2 billion in grants and guaranteed reimbursement to physician practices, clinics, health centers, and labs that provide HIV prevention medications, testing, counseling, and telehealth or office visits to uninsured patients, though grantees must contribute 10 percent in matching funds.
Where it stands: HR 7385 was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on February 4, 2026. No meetings are currently scheduled, and the committee chair controls whether a markup or hearing occurs.

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