Addressing Boarding and Crowding in the Emergency Department
About This Bill
Committee
Latest Action · April 17, 2025
Referred to the 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, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
The ABC-ED Act of 2025 aims to reduce overcrowding and patient delays in hospital emergency departments by modernizing how hospitals track and share real-time information about bed availability. The bill allows federal public health grants to fund the creation of state and regional systems that monitor hospital bed capacity and emergency department wait times, including how long ambulances must wait to drop off patients, with this information displayed on public-facing dashboards. Additionally, it directs the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to develop and test new approaches to emergency care, particularly for elderly patients and those experiencing psychiatric crises, including dedicated units and improved coordination with nursing facilities. The legislation also requires the Government Accountability Office to study best practices for hospital capacity tracking systems within one year and report back to Congress on how these systems reduce boarding rates and wait times. This bill affects hospitals, emergency medical services, patients, and state health agencies nationwide.
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